King's Key: The Four Prongs
by RukiLex
Summary: Rukia returns from Hueco Mundo with extraordinary powers. What will she have to sacrifice and how will Ichigo change in order to win her love? Only time will tell. An alternate take on the Hueco Mundo arc. An Ichiruki adventure/romance.
1. Prologue & Guilt, Again

King's Key: The Four Prongs (formerly "Past and Present: An Ichirukia Fantasy")

Spoilers: Assumes knowledge of events up to midway in the Hueco Mundo/Arrancar arc. My own take, though, a "road not taken" approach before the fight in the Real World.

Disclaimers: The story is mine, with borrowed background from the manga. The characters are from the incredible imagination of the manga god Kubo Tite. I am in awe.

Prologue

_Hueco Mundo. She was running, nearly out of breath. She had to get back to the others. She knew from the reiatsus emanating from the building ahead of her that Ichigo was fighting Ichimaru Gin inside. But there was something else. Aizen. He was watching, waiting. Planning. Something was wrong. She couldn't run fast enough. _

"_I have to stop him," she thought._

A cavernous room. Columns supported an immensely high ceiling. Here and there, some of the columns were strewn across the floor, like discarded chess pieces on the squares of black and white tile.

Two men fought in the center of the room, one dressed in white, the other in black. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and blood. Bits of columns lay in a circular pattern around the men, the broken pieces forming something of an ad hoc arena. Two swords glinted in the sunlight that flooded the room's high open windows.

The shinigami wiped blood off his chin and pushed his strawberry hair out of his eyes. "I don't have much reiatsu left," he thought, "I need to finish this now."

Ichimaru Gin laughed, "You're tired, Kurosaki-kun. It's over."

Ichigo took a deep breath and put his hand to his face. _"Please let it be enough," he thought, "I need to find the others and get them back safely."_

He felt the familiar coldness cover his skin as he withdrew his hand. He was used to the sensation now, but he still disliked it. It was as if he was sharing someone else's body - someone he did not fully trust. The other Ichigo. Dark and cold. Not human. A hollow.

"You're right, Gin, it is over!" shouted the hollowized Ichigo, as he lunged, blade pointing at the man who used to be a shinigami captain, "I don't have time for this." The two zanpakutos met with a palpable rush of energy and both men sprang back.

"Damn," muttered Ichigo, grounding himself for another attack. And then, through the haze of battle, Ichigo felt it. Another reiatsu. No, two reiatsus. Rukia and Aizen.

Fear flashed through his mind. Fear for her, above all else. Over his shoulder, Ichigo saw the figure of a man - a powerfully built man dressed in white, zanpakuto held high and aimed directly at Ichigo's back. There was no time to turn and defend himself against the Aizen's strike.

"Bastard," thought Ichigo, "he's trying to stab me from behind!"

At the same time, Ichigo saw Rukia, a tiny figure in black, moving quickly to that space between Ichigo and Aizen. She hadn't had time to draw her weapon.

"Rukia, no!" he yelled, desperately looking for a way to insert himself between the two. She fell, silently, with the grace of a wounded bird. "Rukia!"

Gin quickly withdrew into the shadows with a delighted grin on his face. Aizen laughed.

"_They planned this all along," thought Ichigo._

To attack from behind while he fought Gin was unfathomable, dishonorable. True shinigamis always fought each other one on one. But, this was Aizen, after all, and he clearly wanted Ichigo dead.

Ichigo had never felt such fear and such anger. It rose up in him with such bile that he nearly doubled over from the force of it, and he felt that familiar presence creep into his mind, "Let me kill him, King! I will make him suffer." Blinding rage encompassed him, and Ichigo could think of nothing more than running his zanpakuto through Rukia's attacker.

_"I have to go to her," Ichigo thought, "I have to get her out of here."_ He had to focus, to regain control. The mask shattered. He could think clearly again.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, he saw there were other people in the room - dressed in black, blades held ready. Shinigami.

"We'll take it from here, son," said a familiar voice.

"Dad?!! What…how…?" Ichigo struggled to form the words.

Kurosaki Isshin's eyes met his son's. Gone was the idiot smile and self-deprecating manner of the man Ichigo knew from his childhood. Isshin now wore the expression of a man ready to do battle.

"You're too weak to fight," Isshin ordered, "get her out of here."

Dazed and barely comprehending, Ichigo nodded stupidly and ran over to the place where Rukia had fallen. She was pale, a deep wound to her shoulder and chest. Her eyes were open, looking at him.

"Why, Rukia?" he asked.

She smiled and answered, "My turn to rescue you."

And then he felt it. She was gone. He had failed to protect her. Again. His screams were drowned out in the chaos of the battle that surrounded them. Tears stung his eyes.

Chapter One: Guilt, Again

_She could hear birds. "I'm not dead," she mused silently. She tried to open her eyes, but they were too heavy. There was no pain, just a sensation of peace and floating. She tried to speak, but no words formed. She could hear voices, both near and far away, some of which she could understand._

"_How is she?" said a voice. She knew that voice. Renji. He spoke quietly, purposefully. A second voice, slightly hoarse, answered, "They don't know if she'll live. I couldn't do anything."_

"_Idiot! Stop wallowing. It wasn't your fault."_

_She was floating again, at peace. And again there were voices, hushed and somber, "Ichigo. You haven't slept since you brought her back, have you?! You haven't eaten." _

"_All these years, Dad…Why didn't you tell me you were a shinigami?!" His voice betrayed exhaustion._

"_I wanted you to have a normal life. I was going to tell you when you were older, but after Masaki died, I…" Silence, and then later, "How's Rukia?"_

"_Her wounds are fully healed, but her reiatsu is fluctuating and it's getting weaker… Unohana doesn't know why."_

Nighttime. Ichigo was fighting to stay awake. It had been three days since he had returned from Hueco Mundo carrying Rukia. Chad and Uryuu had taken Orihime safely back to the Real World. The rest of the shinigami had escaped with surprising ease and had returned to the Soul Society shortly after Ichigo.

Ichigo had refused to leave Rukia's side, even as Captain Unohana treated her. He had expected Unohana to object, but she had not. Maybe it was the fierce look in Ichigo's eyes that had greeted her when they arrived at Division Four's clinic, or maybe Unohana just understood his need to assuage the guilt he felt.

Other than the bed in which Rukia lay, the room was spare. A few chairs, a small table. The window was open, and a light breeze brought in the cool night air. Byakuya had arrived shortly after Ichigo's return, and had stood stiffly at Rukia's side for most of that time, eschewing multiple offers to be seated. A short while earlier, Byakuya had been called away on official Gotei business. He had not yet returned.

Ichigo felt a sense of relief when the elder Kuchiki left. Attempts at conversation had not gone well, and Ichigo felt Byakuya blamed him for what had happened to Rukia. Not that it mattered. Ichigo blamed himself.

Ichigo's unease grew with the unexpected appearance of his father at Rukia's bedside. Ichigo had always viewed the Real World and the Soul Society and their inhabitants as separated. People belonged in one world or the other. He, Ichigo, was a visitor to the Soul Society, just as Rukia was a visitor in his world. Now, the lines were blurred. The apparent duality of his father's existence left Ichigo feeling uncomfortable.

Rukia lay on the bed, silent and still, the only sign that she clung to life was the gentle rise and fall of her chest beneath the sheets. She looked so tiny and frail. Rukia, to whom Ichigo had looked for strength when he was at his weakest. Rukia, who had always been there to straighten him out when he needed a swift kick. He felt her slipping away from him. And it was different this time. This time, there was nothing he could do to save her. No rescue. Nothing to do but wait. The thought made him restless.

Ichigo stood up and paced the tiny room as he had many times before. He was exhausted, but he willed himself to stay awake. _"I need to be here when she wakes up," he thought._

Realizing that he was clenching his fists so hard he had started to draw blood, Ichigo took a deep breath and resumed his vigil on the chair next to the bed. Rukia's hands were folded over her chest, and Ichigo instinctively took one of her hands in his. It was cold and small. He covered her hand in his, willing the warmth from his hand to hers. Minutes, then hours went by as he held her hand. In spite of himself, he drifted off to sleep, succumbing to the breeze, the smell of evening, the comforting feel of her hand in his. He dreamed that her hand squeezed his.

Ichigo awoke with a start. It was early morning. "You look terrible," Rukia said in a voice that was strong and clear, "Slacker. Was Gin that hard on you?" He stood up abruptly, releasing her hand and feeling awkward.

"Rukia." It came as more of a rasp than anything else. Heat rose in his cheeks. Not wanting her to see his face, he quickly mumbled something about getting Captain Unohana and all but ran out of the room.

Out in the hallway, Ichigo leaned against a wall and briefly closed his eyes. As relief flooded his body and he suddenly felt very tired. He barely registered the presence of several of Unohana's staff coming towards him as the hallway dissolved into blackness. He felt himself fall.


	2. Wanderings

Chapter Two: Wanderings

"Kurosaki-kun?" It was soft voice of Captain Unohana. Ichigo opened his eyes. "Kurosaki-kun, when was the last time you ate anything?"

He was lying on the floor in Rukia's room. Unohana and an assistant were looking down at him with mild concern. Minutes later, he was helped up to a sitting position and handed a bowl of soup. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

"Idiot!" Rukia was sitting on her bed, glaring at him. He hadn't noticed her before. "What were you thinking?!" He smiled weakly, no quick retort coming to mind. She was okay. That was all that mattered. He started to get up.

"Kurosaki-kun, please finish the soup before you get up. We don't want you fainting again." Unohana smiled kindly at him. He obliged. He did feel like an idiot sitting there on the floor. Ichigo finished the soup and got up, brushing away helpful hands as he stood.

Captain Unohana turned to Rukia, examining her and smiling approvingly. After exacting Rukia's promise that she would rest at least a day, Unohana cleared Rukia to return to duty. Ichigo watched from a distance, not wanting to interfere. Having regained some semblance of dignity since he was no longer on the floor, Ichigo considered what he should say to Rukia. But there was little time to talk.

Byakuya strode back in the room moments later and Ichigo, not ready to face the elder Kuchiki, took the opportunity to leave unnoticed.

"_Coward," Ichigo thought as he left, "you've never let that tight-ass intimidate you before."_

Less than an hour later, Ichigo had settled down to sleep in the Division Six barracks, having taken Renji up on his offer to bunk in his vice-captain's quarters for as long as Ichigo remained in the Soul Society. Sleep came quickly, but offered Ichigo little relief from the guilt plaguing him. He dreamed of Hueco Mundo and the moment he thought he'd lost Rukia forever.

When Ichigo awoke hours later, the sun was just starting to set over the Seireitei. Restless, he decided to get some fresh air, and set out walking with no particular destination in mind. It was a beautiful evening.

After about an hour, Ichigo stopped to take in his surroundings. He was surprised to find himself outside the main gate of the Kuchiki mansion.

"_Surprised, my ass," he thought, half-chuckling to himself, "you wanted to see her. You came here to see her."_

There were no guards at the front gate, and he walked on through it. He knew this place. He had been here before. The sprawling gardens dotted with cherry trees, the servants' quarters, and the impressive Kuchiki manor reeked of nobility and power_. _

"_Tight-ass," he thought again, remembering Byakuya's holier-than-thou expression as he had entered Rukia's room._

A small stream ran through the grounds. The remaining light from the setting sun danced off the water, catching his eye. There was a small, solitary figure at the edge of the stream. Rukia, sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest and staring off in the distance. Ichigo walked silently over to her.

"Eh, Rukia." Ichigo said from behind her.

She jumped up, then rounded on him angrily, "Don't do that!"

"Do what?" he asked, with a mischievous smile.

"You know. Sneak up on me like that!" She sat back down, indignantly, but he could see the corners of her mouth turn up as she tried hard to frown at him. He paused and looked briefly away.

"Rukia, I…"

"You feel responsible, I know," she said simply. "Stupid. How was it your fault?" She turned back to face the stream, "Your friends are capable of taking care of themselves, Ichigo. I am capable of taking care of myself."

Ichigo looked down. She was right, of course. He felt a sharp pain - Rukia's knee connecting with his ribs.

"You really are an idiot, Ichigo," she said, "why shouldn't your friends look out for you occasionally?"

He was silent for some time and then, in a strained voice, he said, "You were dead, Rukia. It was hours before Orihime brought you back. I saw you die." Ichigo's eyes were haunted by the memory of his fear – fear that Orihime would not be found in time to save Rukia. That there was a time limit to Orihime's ability to bring someone back…

Rukia was silent for a moment, then, regaining her composure, she said, "I'm fine now." She got up and began to walk towards the huge house. He followed, not sure what to say. She leaned against a tree near the front door and sighed, "Thank you for bringing me back to the Soul Society. I really am fine."

For just a moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to pull her close to him. She looked so beautiful in the light from the rising moon. "Rukia, I…"

She turned on her heel and headed through the door. "I'm just fine, Ichigo." And she was gone.

_"I really am an idiot," thought Ichigo, as he headed back in the direction he had come, "What the hell was I thinking?"_


	3. Sake and Surprises

Chapter Three: Sake and Surprises

The bar was full of shinigami. It was loud and overcrowded, but that was just fine with Ichigo. He had run into Renji and Ikkaku coming back from Kuchiki Manor. They were on their way to their favorite Rukongai bar and had invited Ichigo to join them.

Ichigo didn't care that he was underage - there were no laws about underage drinking in the Soul Society. The few times he and Sado had managed to sneak a few beers out of the Kurosaki fridge during middle school had taught Ichigo that alcohol was a pretty effective way to dull his emotions.

The sake tasted good, and in nearly no time, Ichigo was laughing and joining in the conversation with the other shinigami. For now, at least, he could forget his feelings of inadequacy and forget about her. It was early the next morning when he and Renji stumbled back to the barracks and fell asleep.

"_Ichigo," she said, as one might speak to a lover. She moved closer to him, smiling. She had Rukia's large violet eyes, yet she looked nothing like Rukia. Her long black hair hung down her back in waves. She wore a red dress that clung to her body like blood dripping from a wound. She was tall and beautiful, but cold. _

_She was inches from him and he felt her breath on his cheek. She ran her long fingers through his hair and, in spite of himself, he felt his heart race. _

"_Who the hell are __you__?!" he shouted, pushing her away._

"_You know who I am, Ichigo," she laughed, "I'm going to kill you."_

_She drew her zanpakuto and aimed for his heart. He instinctively reached for Zangetsu's hilt, but nothing met his hand. She ran him through with her blade, and he felt an icy coldness spread through his chest…_

Ichigo sat bolt upright, awakened fully from his sleep, panting. His head pounded like a drum to the beat of too much sake, and he rubbed his eyes. Renji was already gone. It was light outside.

"I need to take it easy on the sake next time," he said to himself, his eyes still trying to adjust to the overly bright light of morning. The memory of the dream was still fresh in his mind. It had seemed so real. Ichigo could still feel the echo of pain where she had stabbed him. "Damn. Definitely too much sake."

Ichigo had just finished showering when a young shinigami arrived at the door to Renji's quarters with a message from the Captain-Commander. Yamamoto wanted to speak to Ichigo immediately. "Just like that old geezer to think he can order me around," grumbled Ichigo, ignoring the stunned look on the young man's face. But Ichigo went willingly, all the same. He wasn't feeling good enough to put up a real fight, anyhow.

*****************************

Captain-Commander Yamamoto reigned supreme over the Seireitei, and few questioned his orders, even out of his presence. The Gotei 13 captains treated Yamamoto with respect, despite grumbling in private about the number of meetings he required them to attend. It was no different this day.

Ichigo was led to the large anteroom off Yamamoto's chambers. Every one of the Gotei 13 captains were there. A few other shinigami were also among the group, including Renji, Ikkaku, Matsumoto Rangiku and Rukia. Rukia stood at the back of the room near Byakuya, her back to Ichigo, apparently unaware of his presence. Ichigo walked over to Renji and Ikkaku with an inquiring look. Neither said anything.

Almost immediately after Ichigo's arrival, the group was escorted through a large set of doors to the Captain-Commander's office chambers. Yamamoto stood looking out onto a balcony overlooking the Seireitei. He turned to face the group of men and women who had just filed into the room behind him.

"The Hogyoku is nearly complete, and Aizen is readying his forces," said Yamamoto, his face impassive. "The information gathered during the last sortie to Hueco Mundo is that the war with Aizen and the Arrancar will happen in three months time."

None of this information surprised Ichigo, nor did it appear to surprise any of the others present. Ichigo thought he saw the slightest trace of glee in Ikkaku's eyes.

"_Crazy bastard," thought Ichigo, "he's looking forward to this."_

"You will all ready your squads for battle. Dismissed."

"_Always the charmer," thought Ichigo, as he turned to leave._

"Kuchiki Rukia. Kurosaki Ichigo," the old man added, "You stay here." It was a command.

Ichigo considered his options, but his pounding head and his curiosity got the best of him. He turned and headed back to where Yamamoto stood. Rukia seemed just as puzzled as to why they had been called back.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia, you will both go to the Real World and make preparations for battle. Urahara Kisuke has agreed to assist you. A senkai gate is being prepared for your return. You will leave today."

Before Ichigo could respond, they were escorted out of the room unceremoniously.

"_Not that it would have mattered," thought Ichigo, "he's right. Someone needs to coordinate things in Karakura, if that's where the battle will be." _ Still, he hated the assumption on the part of most everyone in the Soul Society that he was obliged to assist whenever requested to do so.

"I know what you're thinking," said Rukia as they walked out of the barracks, "but it's the humans' fight, too. The Captain-Commander appreciates your help."

"Eh," responded Ichigo, dismissively, "Old fart."

****************************************

Rukia was either unfazed by Ichigo's feeble attempt to express his feelings to her the night before, or she hid it well. It seemed as if none of the events of the past week had happened, and they quickly resumed their usual banter.

The immediate distraction of a Soul Society preparing for all out war, along with his imminent departure for Karakura, had dulled the guilt Ichigo still felt over the incident in Hueco Mundo. Seeing Rukia back to herself, no permanent damage done, was reassuring. From time to time, Ichigo thought he caught Rukia's gaze assessing him to be sure he wasn't in need of another swift kick in the behind. He figured he had passed muster, since no kick was forthcoming.

Their passage through the Senkai gate to Urahara's shop was uneventful. Ichigo figured Urahara had already heard all the details of their mission to rescue Orihime, since he did not press them for information upon their arrival. Ichigo had no idea how exactly he and Rukia were to prepare for battle in the Real World, but Urahara put them to work quickly making an inventory of shop supplies.

Before he knew it, Ichigo had spent the better part of two days working at Urahara's shop, all the while growing more and more irritated that the only thing he was doing to prepare for the upcoming battle was to make sure there was an adequate stock of Chappy Candy on hand for the expected influx of shinigami. Dinner at the Kurosaki house with his father and sisters had been his only respite from the mind-numbing work and, by mid-afternoon on the second day, Ichigo decided he had done enough inventory for a lifetime.

"I need to train," he said simply, as Rukia marked the quantity of some unrecognizable bit of merchandise on her note pad. He expected her to start in on him with a lecture about "doing his part" for the cause, but she surprised him.

"I agree. We both need to work on improving our fighting skills to be of assistance," she said, a hint of a smile on her face. "Besides, you just counted that last batch three times and none of the numbers match." Over Urahara's weak protests, they soon found themselves in the training grounds under the shop, zanpakutos drawn.

Ichigo had sparred with Rukia when he first became a shinigami, but he had been inexperienced then, and she, who had lost most of her shinigami powers on his account, had been reduced to aiming Kido spells at him. Even with his inexperience, he had found himself holding back, worried that he might hurt her with his zanpakuto.

Ichigo knew now that Rukia was a powerful shinigami, the only reason she had not been promoted to vice-captain of her division was the misplaced concern of her brother. Still, Ichigo found himself hesitating to attack. True, he was quite capable of aiming his attacks so that they would inflict the least amount of damage, but Zangetsu was a powerful blade, and Ichigo was worried that the collateral damage from a strike aimed to miss might hurt Rukia.

They circled each other slowly. This continued for several minutes, after which Rukia stopped dead and gave Ichigo a withering look.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you are a coward!" she yelled at the top of her voice, "I am not going to shatter if you attack me!"

With this, she lunged for him, barely missing his head with her sword, and resetting herself for another attack. Ichigo dodged her attack easily, but still did not take the offensive.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" shouted Rukia, her eyes focused on him. Ichigo dodged again, but the hem of his robe trailed behind him as he did so. The end result was a large hole in his hakama pants after the ice crystals shattered on her command.

"_Shit," he thought, "she's gotten faster."_

"Neither of us will get stronger if you continue to hold back," she said, glaring at him again, "My next opponent will not be so slow to attack."

Still uncomfortable taking the offensive, he was about to respond to her with some typically sardonic comment when she came at him from above and managed to slice a shallow cut to his upper arm.

"Damn!" he grumbled, "I don't remember her being so fast."

She was pissing him off now. The arm where she had cut him dripped blood.

"_Okay," he thought, "I'll show her what it feels like to be standing near Getsuga Tensho."_

He would aim the attack just close enough for her to feel the heat of the blow. "Dammit." he growled to himself, and then he yelled, "You asked for this, Rukia! Getsuga Tensho!"

A shot of blue light burst from Ichigo's zanpakuto and flew towards Rukia. An enormous cloud of dust engulfed the training grounds, and Rukia felt herself falling backward onto the hard ground.

"_Are you going to let him do that to you?!" said a voice deep within her mind. "Get up and fight, little girl, or I'll do it for you!"_

Rukia shook her head hard. She was imagining things. Getting to her feet and dusting herself off, she raised Sode no Shirayuki and moved to return Ichigo's attack. As she did so, she felt a strange coldness creep over her face. She instinctively raised her hand to touch her check, but stopped short when she heard the voice again.

"_Now, girl! It's your turn!"_

"_Yes," she thought, "It is __my__ turn now."_

Rukia turned and aimed her Zanpakuto at Ichigo. No words came from her lips, but the blast that emanated from the steel in her hand was so powerful, she staggered back from the force of it.

"_That's right, Rukia! You have the power now."_

Ichigo was so unprepared for Rukia's attack that he barely had time to react. Instinctively, he released an enormous amount of reiatsu to protect himself from the blow. Even so, he found himself thrown back hundreds of feet into the side of a rock face and nearly knocked unconscious.

"_That's Rukia?!" he thought, incredulously, "what the hell?!" _

"Are you trying to kill me?!" he shouted at her. As with his Getsuga Tensho, the power of her attack had created a cloud of dust and debris, momentarily obscuring his vision. The air began to clear, and he could see her silhouetted against the sky.

Then he saw her face. It was covered by a white mask which glittered with ice crystals, solid and apparently unyielding, the only part of her features visible her lips. Her eyes shone blood red through the mask, and her left shoulder was covered with the same hard material as her mask, like armor. A hollow.

"What the hell, Rukia, is this some kind of sick joke?!" he yelled at her, all the while walking towards her, Zangetsu clutched tight in his hand. But he instinctively knew it was no joke. He could feel her, feel her reiatsu. No, her reiatsus. There were two. One, the comfortable energy he knew so well. The other, something darker.

"Ichigo…" Her voice was tortured and full of fear. Rukia dropped her Zanpakuto on the ground, and put both hands to her face, "what's happening to me?"

By the time she had finished speaking these words, Ichigo had already sheathed his sword and was inches away from her. Rukia fainted, and he caught her before she hit the ground.


	4. Of Waiting and Wanting

Chapter Four: Waiting and Wanting

"_They are worried about you, little girl." That voice again. "They shouldn't be. This is your power. Our power." _

_Rukia struggled to open her eyes. It was very bright here. Rukia could see nothing save the outline of a figure in the distance. A woman. Rukia got to her feet and began to walk towards the figure. She had to ask, to understand. But the more she walked, the further away the woman seemed to be. Rukia could barely see her now._

"_Wait," she yelled, "Don't leave! I need to talk to you!" And then she was alone in a sea of white light._

"Rukia! Rukia! Are you okay?!"

_Ichigo. Rukia could feel his arms around her and the ragged sound of his breathing. She felt warm. Peaceful. "I want to stay here," she thought._

"Rukia! Wake up!"

Rukia opened her eyes. She was on the floor of Urahara's living quarters, her head cradled in Ichigo's arms. Embarrassed, she quickly pushed herself up to a sitting position and disentangled herself from him.

"I'm fine, Ichigo," she said, forcing herself to look at him.

"Kurosaki-kun seems to think otherwise. It seems as though you've been playing a bit rough, Kuchiki-san," Urahara teased, smiling at her.

"Always the joker," she responded, irritated, "I said I'm just fine, thank you."

"I'll be here if you need me, Kuchiki-san," responded Urahara, adjusting his striped hat as he walked out of the room.

Ichigo stared at her. He was trying to form the words for all the questions he needed answered, but nothing would come out.

"Stop staring, Ichigo." She glared at him, "Obviously, I have no more idea about why this has happened than you do. What did you tell Urahara?"

"Nothing. But you know him. He's probably already figured it out. And why wouldn't you tell him, anyhow?" he asked.

She thought this over briefly. "I'd prefer to wait," she said, dismissively.

"Wait for what, Rukia?!" Ichigo was a man of action. Waiting was simply not his style.

"Wait until I figure out why I practically turned into a hollow back there!" she snapped.

He knew better than to press her. It wasn't like having a hollow inside you was something he was unfamiliar with. It had taken some time before he had asked for help to tame the hollow inside himself, and if she wanted to wait to discuss it with her superiors, he didn't see why he should object. But he resolved to keep an eye on her, all the same.

"Dinner then," Ichigo said, changing the subject.

"Huh?" She looked at him as though he had spoken a foreign language.

"You have to eat sometime. Let's get out of here and get some food." He grinned, pleased with his idea.

"I suppose I should be grateful you can think about food at a time like this," she said with a laugh. Ichigo smiled, happy to see her back to her usual self.

******************************

They decided on sushi – her favorite, not his. Ichigo felt that anything uncooked was not fit for human consumption, and he opted for a bowl of udon with lots of extras piled on top.

The restaurant was small. It was late, and they were nearly alone for dinner. They laughed and talked about little things – about how Urahara always wore his stupid hat (Ichigo suggested it was because he had a big bald spot underneath), or how Ichigo's father insisted on cooking breakfast for the family on Sunday mornings, despite his total inability to follow a recipe (Rukia thought Isshin and Orihime probably owned the same cookbook).

All the while, the subject of Rukia's surprising transformation earlier that day hung over them, silent, yet ever present. "She seems fine," he thought. He'd figure out how to bring up the topic with her tomorrow. For now, he was enjoying himself too much to challenge her again.

Rukia had been staying with the Kurosaki's since they returned, as she had done in the past. No more closet, of course. Instead, Isshin had procured bunk beds for the girls' room, apparently anticipating Rukia's return to the living quarters of his small clinic. She had woken up the first night to find a stuffed lion clinging to her chest. After that evening, she had taken to seeking out Kon before bed and shoving him into a latched cabinet in the closet for safety.

Tonight, Ichigo and Rukia walked back home in near silence. Ichigo, never a man of many words under the best of circumstances, preferred to say nothing rather than risk shattering the uneasy "normalness" of the evening.

Their route back home took them by the banks of the river – a place that held a special place in Ichigo's psyche. Ichigo's feelings about the place were complicated. This was the place where his mother had been killed while trying to protect him from a hollow. But despite the grief associated with the river, Ichigo found himself drawn to the haunting beauty of the place time and time again. He would often sit for hours on the grassy bank and watch the lights of the city dance on its surface.

"Mind if we sit for a few minutes?" he asked her. She nodded. She knew what this place meant to him.

"Rukia," he asked, "did you know about my dad?"

She hesitated. "I suspected," she said, at last.

He sat silently for a few minutes, gazing across the water. She sat close to him, and he was acutely aware of her presence. It felt good being so near to her. He wondered if she felt the same. He got to his feet abruptly, afraid that if he stayed next to her a moment longer, he might do something he'd regret. She followed, momentarily surprised to see him move so quickly. In her haste to get up, she tripped over an uneven patch of ground and fell, face forward.

Ichigo caught her as she fell. "That's the second time today," he said, laughing, and then, just as quickly, all thoughts of what had happened earlier in the day left him as he held her against his chest. It was just seconds, but it felt like hours that they stood there pressed against each other.

"Rukia, I…" he began, but she interrupted, "It's been a long day. We should get some rest," she said. She pushed him away and headed up the steps to the top of the embankment. He followed. He felt inadequate, awkward.

"_Idiot," he thought._

Later, in his room, Ichigo relived the feel of her body against his. "What the hell am I thinking?!" he asked himself, "She's lived a hundred years. She thinks of me as just a boy." And he drifted off to sleep, still imagining the scent of her.


	5. Control is Overrated

Chapter Five: Control is Overrated

Rukia lay awake in bed that night, unable to sleep. Years of life on the streets in the Rukongai followed by years of service as a shinigami had taught her that the best way to survive was to stay in control at all times. Today's events had been so totally beyond her control that she felt anxious and unsettled.

What had happened back at the training grounds? Was her recent foray into Hueco Mundo the reason for the appearance of the hollow? And why wasn't she more concerned about the implications of a hollowized Rukia?

"_You liked it, didn't you? The feeling of power running through the core of your being, the strength of it coursing through your blood?"_

She had to admit to herself that she had enjoyed the feeling as the power of the hollow flowed through her body. She felt strong, in control. Still, the coldness of it frightened her. It was as though she had momentarily teetered on the edge of losing her sense of self. "Is this how Ichigo feels?" she wondered aloud.

Ichigo. For the second time that week, she had been in his arms and enjoying the sensation. She found herself wanting more.

"_I have no right to drag him into my world just to satisfy my desires." she thought. "He is conflicted enough about his place in the Soul Society. I must not be selfish. He deserves better than that from me."_

She had made her decision. She would not again allow her needs to control her interactions with him. Still, it was early the next morning when sleep finally came.

******************************

Ichigo and Rukia headed out for Urahara's in silence that morning. The bright sun was not a welcome visitor, both of them having slept little the night before.

Much as Rukia wanted to train, she hesitated to ask Ichigo again because she did not want him to worry about her. She had resolved to go back to the Soul Society to speak with Captain Ukitake, though.

Since the death of Shiba Kaien, and even more now since he had risked his position to stop Rukia's execution by the Sōkyoku, Ukitake had become more than just her captain. He had become almost a surrogate father to Rukia, giving her advice and encouraging her to test her skills against more powerful shinigami. She was stronger for it, and Ukitake took every opportunity to press Byakuya to permit her promotion within the ranks of the Thirteenth Division. For his part, Byakuya Kuchiki was showing signs of relenting. That Rukia had been permitted to resume her shinigami duties in the Real World was proof of this fact.

The morning went by at a snail's pace. Ichigo and Rukia were both relieved when Ururu came to tell them that lunch was ready. Urahara did not bring up the events of the day before, although he did offer the training grounds with a bit of a knowing smirk.

"_He knows," thought Rukia. "He's waiting to see what I do."_

Food did them both a world of good. The perpetual scowl on Ichigo's faced had been replaced by something more like a half-frown. Rukia had stopped yawning, and was having less trouble tallying up the numbers on her notepad.

Rukia's phone buzzed. Both of them jumped. It had been silent since they had returned.

"Hollows," said Rukia, looking at the display, "three Arrancar, over by the city center." He looked at her, his face betraying concern. "What are you looking at?!" she demanded, "It's my duty as a shinigami." He said nothing. He knew her too well to argue with her about this.

Minutes later, having shed their gigai, they were headed to the center of town. Ichigo found himself adjusting his shunpo to match Rukia's newfound speed.

"She's amazingly fast," he marveled to himself, "I'm about at my limit and she's more than keeping up with me."

In spite of himself, Ichigo found himself admiring her skill, a sense of pride growing in him. There was little time to dwell on his feelings, however, since they arrived seconds later to find three extremely large Arrancar waiting for them high above the buildings.

"Little shinigami," boomed the largest of the three, "come out to play!" Ichigo drew Zangetsu and went to meet the huge hollow, but Rukia was already there, Sode Non Shirayuki drawn and poised to attack.

"I'll take this one," she called to him, "you take the other two." A moment's concern for her choice of opponent and he found her yelling at him, "Ichigo!"

There was no time to argue, as the two smaller hollows began to charge at him. Neither was much of a match for Ichigo, but the combination of the two was enough to keep him busy. From time to time, he glanced over to where Rukia fought, curiosity and worry getting the best of him.

He needn't have worried. Rukia was holding her own, easily matching the huge hollow's attacks. Ichigo turned back to his opponents, resolving to focus on the fight at hand and stop allowing himself to be distracted.

Ichigo had just responded to a particularly close attack by one of the two hollows when he heard a loud rumble from where Rukia fought. A chill ran up his spine as he looked for her. The Arrancar had drawn his zanpakuto, and the reiatsu emanating from the creature was palpable. The Arrancar laughed, his eyes hungry with his desire to devour Rukia's soul.

Ichigo was just about to call Rukia's name, when an equally dense explosion of reiatsu emanated from the sky where she stood.

"Don't toy with me," she yelled, in a voice that was at once stronger and higher than usual, "I will destroy you!"

And then he saw it – the same mask that had covered her face in the training grounds. He felt the change in her reiatsu, and noted that the second reiatsu which came from her felt even stronger than it had before. Was it his imagination, or was the armor-like plating which began at her shoulder now covering more of her arm than the last time?

"Ooooh," gushed one of the other Arrancar, also watching Rukia and her opponent, "El Torero is using his zanpakuto! Too bad for the little shinigami, she's going to..."

But the Arrancar's glee at seeing her companion's power unleashed was short-lived. Ichigo saw Rukia's eyes glow blood red, and a flash of lightening and ice streamed from the end of her zanpakuto. Even where Ichigo stood, yards away from Rukia, the air was thick with the energy of her strike.

The Arrancar fighting Rukia had little time to react. He had barely begun to aim his weapon at her when he was surrounded by thousands of tiny ice crystals which flew at him from every direction. He laughed, believing that the small crystals would have little effect on his hard skin. He was mistaken. As the crystals touched his skin, they stuck fast. When the last crystal had adhered itself to the hollow's body, there was a deafening sound as each crystal exploded with such huge power that Ichigo and the others were blown back from their positions from the aftershock.

_Rukia drank in the feel of the strike, like a lover drinks in the taste of her partner's mouth. She shuddered from the pleasure of it. _

"_Nice, little girl! That is your power. Doesn't it feel good?" came the voice inside her head. "Now use it on the others."_

Rukia turned to face the remaining Arrancar. She raised her zanpakuto again and aimed for the larger of the two.

"Hey, Rukia! I can handle these two," yelled Ichigo, as he saw her prepare to strike.

She ignored him. Her eyes glowed intensely, and again her attack met its mark. Ichigo, taken aback by her uncharacteristic show of dominance, momentarily lost sight of the third hollow. It fled back into the darkness and disappeared.

"_More," thought Rukia, "I want more. I need more."_

"_Kill him, then," came the voice._

"No!" shouted Rukia, coming back to herself. The mask and armor shattered into tiny pieces, which shimmered briefly in the air and then vanished. _"I would never hurt him," she thought fiercely, "never!"_

"What was that all about?" said Ichigo, by her side in a flash step, "I could have taken care of the other two, no problem."

"Sorry," said Rukia in a small voice, "I guess I got a little carried away. It's my fault the last one escaped." She couldn't look at him.

"It's okay," Ichigo said, with a warm smile, "you wanted to test your strength. I understand." He was still in awe of her.

"I suppose you're correct," she said, regaining her composure and looking up at him, "it won't happen again."

"_I won't __permit__ it to happen again," she thought._

"_We'll see, little girl, we'll see if you can deny yourself the pleasure of it," came the voice. And in her mind, Rukia saw the faint image of a tall woman with dark hair and a blood-red dress walk away, laughing._


	6. Facing Reality

Chapter Six: Facing Reality

The events of the day before had convinced Rukia that she could no longer put off a trip to the Soul Society. Ichigo, although slightly surprised to hear she would be leaving immediately, seemed to understand. He offered to come with her, but she told him she preferred to go alone.

Not long after, Rukia found herself walking from the main Senkai gate towards the Thirteenth Division barracks. This sprawling building had been her home before her fateful posting to the Real World, despite Byakuya's protests. In the end, she had agreed to spend her free days at the Kuchiki home, which seemed to placate him.

Captain Ukitake was seated in front of the barracks when she arrived. Preparations for the upcoming battle with Hueco Mundo appeared to have done his poor health some good, and he smiled broadly at her as she approached.

"Ukitake-taicho," she said formally, bowing in greeting.

"Rukia-chan," he said lightly, "so nice to see you. I wasn't expecting your visit."

"Developments in the Real World have necessitated that I…," she broke off as he laughed softly.

"Rukia-chan, why so formal? We are friends, are we not?"

"Of course, sir, but…"

"I thought that after the incident at the execution grounds, you might feel a bit more relaxed around me," he said, smiling again. As always, his manner put her at ease, and she found herself smiling back, if only a little. He had, of course, risked both his rank and nearly his life to help Ichigo stop her execution.

"I'm sorry, sir. I meant to say, I needed to speak with you," she said.

"No need to apologize, Rukia. I'm always happy to talk with you." Ukitake gestured to the large garden behind the barracks, and they walked over to a small bench on which she had spent many hours listening to her beloved Kaien-dono, the former Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain. It seemed a lifetime ago to Rukia.

As they sat in the warm morning sun, she told him about what had happened at Urahara's training ground two days before, and about the encounter with the Arrancar. She did not tell Ukitake about the voice in her mind, or the woman she had seen, nor did she tell him about the incredible passion her newfound powers seemed to arouse in her. Even in the Soul Society, it was not a good thing to hear voices in your head, especially voices telling you to harm those closest to you.

Ukitake listened intently. After she had finished, and for what seemed like a very long time, he said nothing, his face contemplative, clearly deep in thought. Finally, he said, "I am honored that you have entrusted me with this information. I am sure this is deeply unsettling to you, Rukia."

"Yes," she said.

"I think you are probably correct in assuming that your transformation is directly related to Hueco Mundo and your contact with Aizen Sousuke. For that reason, I ask that you permit me to share this information with the Captain-Commander."

She nodded, "Of course." She hadn't expected anything different. The commander of the Gotei 13 had a right to know.

"I also ask that you permit me to take you to see Captain Kurotsuchi. He has studied the Soul Society records concerning the Hogyoku and he may be able to explain what has happened to you," he said.

This last request took Rukia aback. Kurotsuchi Mayuri's reputation for experimenting on living beings, as well as his complete lack of morality, were well known in the Soul Society. The thought of Kurotsuchi poking and prodding her made Rukia's insides turn sickeningly. Still, she thought, if Captain Ukitake felt that Kurotsuchi's scientific genius, twisted as it was, could help her understand her situation, she would endure it.

Her concern must have been apparent in her expression, because Ukitake quickly added, "I will stay with you while he examines you, if you wish." She nodded, relieved.

The rest of the day was spent at Captain Kurotsuchi's research facility. Under Ukitake's watchful eye, Kurotsuchi's behavior was tolerable and his examination was relatively painless. It was late in the afternoon when Kurotsuchi announced that he could offer at least some preliminary observations as to Rukia's condition.

"Yours is a very interesting case, my child," he nearly hissed, "very interesting, indeed."

"Get on with it," thought Rukia, impatiently, noting that Kurotsuchi's penchant for torture appeared to extend to the psychological, as well.

Apparently believing that the proper stage had been set for his pronouncement, Kurotsuchi continued, "There is no doubt that the Hogyoku is responsible for your transformation, Kuchiki Rukia. There is also no doubt that the hollow transformation is progressing, and that it will continue to progress until you have completely changed into a hollow."

Captain Ukitake, seeing Rukia's dumbfounded expression, asked the question Rukia could not bring herself to speak, "What can be done to stop her becoming fully hollow?"

Kurotsuchi smiled, almost gleefully, "Nothing at all. Clearly Urahara Kisuke has no idea how to stop it, or he would have already explained to Kuchiki-chan how to do so. The Vizard will not be able to help, either, since this is not a hollow transformation brought about by damaging a person's soul chain such as Kurosaki Ichigo's. Perhaps Aizen Sousuke possesses the means to halt the transformation before it is complete, but Kuchiki-chan is clearly not in a position to ask for his assistance."

"_Sick bastard," thought Rukia miserably, "he's enjoying this."_

"How long do I have?" she asked, forcing herself to look directly into Kurotsuchi's face.

"I calculate somewhere between six months to a year," he answered, still smirking.


	7. Of Hollows and Him

Chapter Seven: Of Hollows and Him

Ukitake's kind words of encouragement that they would find a means to halt the hollow transformation did little to reassure Rukia. She knew in her heart that Kurotsuchi's grim appraisal of the situation was correct. She felt it. With little reflection, Rukia made up her mind that, before she succumbed fully, she would kill herself. The prospect of becoming a hollow was far more frightening to her than death. She was, after all, a shinigami.

Kurotsuchi believed that Rukia's use of her hollowized form would not have an effect upon the length of time she had left before her transformation was complete. In fact, before Rukia was to depart for the Real World, word from Captain-Commander Yamamoto reached her that Yamamoto fully expected Rukia to train and increase her strength in anticipation of the conflict with Hueco Mundo. That was some consolation to her. She could continue to fight.

The Captain-Commander had also ordered that news of Rukia's situation be shared only with those in the command structure who needed the information for battle preparations. Regardless of whether he met those criteria, Rukia knew that it was just a matter of time before Byakuya found out. Not much of the workings of the Soul Society escaped his scrutiny. She was just thankful that she did not have to tell him herself.

It was nearly midnight by the time she made her way back to the Kurosaki's home. Ichigo was sitting on his bed with the door to his room open, waiting up for her.

"I wasn't waiting," he lied unconvincingly, "I just couldn't sleep." She walked in the room, closing the door behind her, and sat next to him on the bed.

"So," he asked, "how did it go?"

She hesitated, although she had already resolved to tell him the truth, or at least enough of it that he would not continue to worry about her. "Captain Kurotsuchi is convinced that the Hogyoku has caused my transformation. He has cleared me to return to duty," she said, carefully choosing her words.

"Great, we can start training tomorrow then," he responded brightly. Their last encounter with the hollows had convinced Ichigo that he could train with Rukia without the paralyzing fear he had felt during their last training session. He was eager to match his strength against hers, eager to share in their apparent sameness.

Again, she hesitated. Clearly, training with Ichigo would be beneficial to the Soul Society. The more she knew about her abilities, the better a soldier she would make. Still, the encounter with the three hollows had left her fearful that she might lose control and hurt Ichigo.

"Something wrong?" he asked, "I'm not good enough to train with you?" He meant to say it as if it were a joke, but the hurt in his voice cut her sharply.

"No, you are more than strong enough, Ichigo," she responded forcefully, wanting him to understand that it was nothing like that, "It's just that…." Her voice trailed off.

"What, then?" He was irritated.

"I don't want to hurt you, Ichigo." There. She had said it.

"Eh, Rukia, you know I'm pretty good at watching out for myself!" he laughed, relieved that he had misread her, and thinking to himself how ironic it was that they were both worried about hurting each other.

"It's not that, stupid, it's just that…" She stopped, realizing that, short of explaining to Ichigo that a voice inside her head had suggested that she kill him, she had no hope of getting him to understand what she was feeling. "Forget it," she said at last, giving up.

"It's settled, then. We start training tomorrow," he said with a smile. "Better get some sleep or I'm going to kick your ass."

*******************************

Ichigo watched Rukia walk out of his room. He was relieved that she had been cleared for duty, and he was relieved that she had agreed to train with him. Truth was, he was enjoying their time together regardless of what they were doing. He would have been happy counting Chappy Candy forever if she were counting them with him. In this contented state of mind, Ichigo fell asleep quickly.

_He was surrounded by a bright light. It was so bright, it made him blink several times. He knew this place. He had been here before._

"_Welcome back, Ichigo." The woman in the red dress smiled at him. "I've missed you."_

"_What do you want?!" he demanded._

"_I want you, Ichigo. To devour you. To kill you. To make you mine, forever." _

_She moved closer to him. He wanted to back away, but he was also drawn to her. He found himself wanting to be nearer to her. He wanted her. He wanted to feel her hair in his hands, taste her neck, feel the softness of her breasts against his chest. He wanted to feel her power combine with his._

_And then he was frozen, unable to move. She pulled away from him, laughing. He saw her draw her zanpakuto, and felt the chill blade stab him through the chest. Blissful pain._

"_Ichigo. Ichigo!" It was Rukia's voice. He tried to answer, but he was dying and he couldn't find the strength to form the words…_

"Ichigo! Wake up!" Ichigo opened his eyes. He was gasping for breath. Rukia was standing over him, looking at him with concern.

Embarrassed, he sat up abruptly, nearly knocking her over in the process. "Bad dream. I'm fine. I just need to get some breakfast," he said quickly. Rukia didn't push further. She knew better.

**********************************

Training was a welcome relief for Ichigo. Any thoughts of the disturbing dream were soon gone from his mind, replaced by the familiar excitement of the fight. This time, neither Ichigo nor Rukia hesitated to push the other's limits.

As their training progressed, Rukia began to understand how to release her hollow. At first, Rukia found it difficult to call forth the hollow because she feared that releasing it might also awaken the voice in her mind. The voice inside remained, however, mercifully silent. Reassured, Rukia's inhibitions slowly evaporated and she was soon able to bring out the hollow with no effort. She felt in control, powerful.

The pleasure of the hollow release and the power it generated did not abate with the control Rukia gained. The power which pulsed through Sode no Shirayuki aroused her senses like nothing she had ever experienced before. Rukia found that, when she was using her hollow power, she could actually feel the objects her attacks connected with; the rough surface of a rock face, the cool rush of water in nearby stream, or the hard smoothness of Ichigo's skin. It was exhilarating.

For five days and nights, Ichigo and Rukia did little else than eat, sleep and train, preferring to spend the night at Urahara's shop when their sparring ended late at night, which it did often. On the morning of the sixth day, Urahara joined them for breakfast in his living quarters.

"Very impressive work, Rukia-chan. You're giving Ichigo here quite a workout," drawled Urahara. "You should both take the day off today." Both Ichigo and Rukia protested.

"I insist," said Urahara. "Besides," he continued with a slight smirk, "I'll need at least a day to repair the damage you two have done to my training grounds."

It was nearly noon when Ichigo and Rukia headed out of the shop towards the center of Karakura. Rukia, in her gigai again after nearly a week, felt awkward and strange, her highly focused spirit senses now dulled. Still, the day was clear and sunny, and the smell of the grass and trees were a welcome departure from the mostly arid artificial atmosphere of the training grounds.

Ichigo suggested they pick up bento boxes and head for the park at the center of town. Rukia, who had only been on one picnic before, agreed without hesitation.

The park was full of people. Children played ball, dogs ran and chased each other in circles, and couples held hands and strolled around the footpaths.

When she had first come to the Real World, Rukia had thought human interactions to be, at best, merely amusing. Neither her life growing up on the rough streets of the Rukongai, nor the ordered society of the Seireitei could have prepared her with the depth of feeling and belonging that she had ultimately experienced in the Real World. With few exceptions, the friendships she had developed in the Soul Society paled in comparison to those she had found in Karakura. She now reveled in the humanity of those interactions.

They had finished their lunches. Ichigo was lying on the grass, eyes closed, sleeping. She watched him sleep, his face peaceful and relaxed, his hands behind his head. It was several minutes before she realized that her gaze had shifted to his shoulders and chest. His t-shirt revealed the outline of his well-defined muscles, and Rukia found herself remembering the feel of him, the feel of his arms around her, and the scent of him.

"_Stop it," she thought. "You've made your decision. Let him live his life as a human, in this world. You have no right. You have no future in either world."_

She forced herself to look away from him and back to the people who filled the park_. "It is their future we will fight for," she thought, "not mine."_ After some time, she herself lay down and fell asleep in the grass, maintaining a safe distance from where Ichigo slept.

They awoke as the sun had just started to set. There were fewer people in the park now, many having gone back to their homes for dinner. Ichigo yawned broadly, stretching his arms above his head, and offering Rukia a hand up. She took his hand and, despite her resolve, found herself savoring the feel of his skin and his strong grasp. She quickly moved away from him, heading down the path to the park exit, forcing him to release her.

Ichigo watched her as she led him out of the park. Out of her shinigami clothes, she seemed even tinier to him. He knew the enormous power she now possessed, but, at that moment, she looked fragile, vulnerable.

"_She is beautiful," he thought. And then came the realization, swiftly and with amazing clarity, "I'm falling in love with her."_

It wasn't particularly surprising. This feeling had been building for so long now, and the pain he felt when he thought he had lost her in Hueco Mundo had been worse than any physical injury he had endured on the battlefield. He had fought his feelings for her, telling himself that she wouldn't be interested in him, a human, only seventeen. Still, there was something in her demeanor these past few weeks that made him believe she might have feelings for him, more than just friendship.

They arrived back at the Kurosaki Clinic as the sun dipped below the horizon. Several feet away from the door, Ichigo stopped and turned to face Rukia. She looked back at him, quizzically.

"_I need to know," thought Ichigo, his heart racing in his chest, "I need to know how she feels."_

And then he was kissing her, pulling her tight against him. And for that brief moment, he felt as though there was no distance between them, no boundaries. She kissed him back, hard and with passion, and Ichigo knew. He was sure of it. She loved him, too.


	8. End Games

Chapter Eight: End Games

They kissed, Rukia and Ichigo, bodies pressed together, oblivious to all but each other. Then, as quickly as it had happened, it was over. Rukia had pushed him away, forcefully, and then, hands pressed to her face, she fell backward against the door to the clinic and crumpled to the ground. As she fell, Ichigo thought he saw the color of blood flash in her eyes.

"_That's right, child, he is yours," came the familiar voice, thick with pleasure, "He is __ours__."_

"_What do you want with me? With him?" Rukia demanded._

"_I want what you want, Rukia," responded the woman with the dark hair in a low growl that bordered on the obscene, "To possess him. His power. His life."_

_The woman turned her back on Rukia, slowly walking away, the hem of her blood red dress moving slightly in the non-existent wind. As she walked, she spoke again, "You are going to kill him, Rukia."_

"Rukia! Are you all right?" Ichigo was really worried this time. He sensed that something was wrong with her. A presence. Something familiar. He struggled to remember, but as he did, Rukia opened her eyes.

"Thanks," she answered, "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened."

"My fault," he smiled, "I should have known you couldn't handle me kissing you."

The kiss. He had been kissing her. She had kissed him back. She blushed scarlet, then rounded on him, "What did you do that for, Ichigo?!"

"You liked it, Rukia," he smirked. He was right, of course. And then he was serious, looking at her with concern, "What's going on, Rukia?"

"I don't know," she replied.

It was the truth. Not the entire truth, of course. But she was mercifully spared an attempt at an explanation, because, at that moment, a hell butterfly floated out of the sky and perched itself on her hand. A summons from the Soul Society.

"Ichigo, I must go back immediately," she said, the strength now returned to her voice. She got to her feet, quickly leaving her gigai behind and opening a senkai gate in front of her.

"We'll talk about this when you get back!" he shouted as she stepped through the opening, "Promise me, Rukia." She was gone before he could get an answer.

**********************************

Rukia was met in the Soul Society by a shinigami who told her he had orders to escort her to Captain-Commander Yamamoto. There was no waiting this time, and she was taken directly into Yamamoto's chambers upon their arrival at the First Division.

"Captain-Commander, sir," she said with a bow, as he turned to face her. Yamamoto's aides were conspicuously absent, and Rukia became aware that she was not alone with him. A tall figure stood, partly shrouded in shadows from the moonlight that lit the room.

"Nii-sama," she said, betraying her surprise. Byakuya was the last person she had expected to see. He nodded silently in acknowledgment.

_He knows," thought Rukia._ She understood this from the shadow of concern she saw on Byakuya's face. It was faint, but Rukia knew her brother well enough now that she could read his carefully controlled emotions.

"Kuchiki Rukia," began Yamamoto, not the least interested in the Kuchiki sibling reunion, "I have called you here to ask for your service to the Soul Society."

"Of course, sir."

"I have asked your brother to join us," continued Yamamoto, "because, in the past, he has been reluctant to see you assigned to missions that might put your safety at risk." That was putting it mildly, thought Rukia. Byakuya's overly protective concern for her was nearly legendary in the Soul Society.

Yamamoto continued, "Captain Kurotsuchi has fully briefed me on your condition, Kuchiki Rukia. There is no other conclusion to draw but that Aizen Sousuke intentionally used the Hogyoku to transform you, and that he expects you to return to Hueco Mundo to seek his assistance in halting the progress of the hollow transformation.

"It is unclear why Aizen is interested in you, although Aizen's motives are often hidden to all but those close to him. What is clear is that it would be to the benefit of the Soul Society for you to go to him.

"Your brother has expressed his view that returning to Hueco Mundo would be more than just dangerous, that it would be near-suicidal," continued Yamamoto. "For this reason, I will not order you to undertake this mission. It must be your choice. Aizen will, of course, suspect that you are a spy and likely show you little of his plans for battle. However, even the smallest amount of information you might obtain could potentially give the Soul Society an advantage in the upcoming war."

Rukia wished she could have been there to see her brother "express" his opinion to the Captain-Commander. She felt a sudden fondness for Byakuya. Despite his cool exterior, she knew he cared deeply for her.

"I accept the mission," she said, unhesitatingly, although she knew it was not the choice her brother would have had her make. Ultimately, though, she knew there was no other choice for her. If she did not go, she would die. It would be no different to die by Aizen's hand than to die by her own. But, if she could assist the war effort in some way, she would die an honorable death, the death of a true shinigami. And, there was always the possibility, however remote, that Aizen held the answer to halting her transformation.

**********************************

Byakuya and Rukia left the First Division a short time later. Yamamoto had arranged for Rukia to leave first thing the next morning through a special senkai gate miles outside the Seireitei, hidden deep in the mountains. Other than Yamamoto and Byakuya, no one was to be told of her destination or her purpose.

The abrupt change in her future plans had relieved Rukia of the need to resolve things with Ichigo. She knew it was the cowardly thing to do, but she preferred not to see him again, afraid that she might reveal her true feelings for him. It was easier this way.

Byakuya said nothing to Rukia as they walked in the semi-darkness back to the Kuchiki estate. Rukia had expected nothing different. She and Byakuya had never spoken much. As they walked through the garden that led to the house, she left him to sit alone in her favorite spot by the stream.

The night air held just a hint of a chill, and the sky was clear and full of stars. Rukia closed her eyes, remembering the feel of Ichigo's lips on hers. It had been only a few hours ago, and yet it already felt like an eternity had passed.

"You love him, don't you?"

Rukia looked up to see Byakuya standing near hear, looking at the moon. His uncharacteristic question had startled her. Was she that transparent? She remained seated, looking back at the water. She didn't answer. She couldn't.

For what seemed a very long time, Byakuya said nothing. Then, at long last, he said, "Be safe, Rukia," and he walked slowly back to the house.

**********************************

It was still dark when Rukia set out for the mountains. She needed to reach her destination without alerting any of the sentries. One of the huge gates that led out of the Seireitei had been left slightly open, and she was able to pass through it using shunpo, unnoticed by the guards.

The sun had just begun to rise as she neared the place where the gate would open. It was a wooded area, green and lush, very unlike the formal gardens of the Seireitei. She sat on a downed tree and waited for the gate to appear, knowing it would still be some time yet before the gate was scheduled to open. It was silent and peaceful here.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia practically jumped out of her skin, "What are you doing here?" Was she so distracted that she had not sensed his reiatsu, or was he finally learning to disguise his powerful spiritual presence?

"I followed you," he said, unsmiling.

"Obviously."

"You promised you'd come back and talk about things." His face was unreadable. Without emotion.

"I did not. You just assumed I would return," she snapped. Something in his manner unsettled her. His demeanor had changed markedly since the day before.

"You lied to me, Rukia," he said, calmly. "You told me the hollow was under control, that you were going to be fine." She winced. She hadn't exactly said it that way, but she had certainly wanted him to hear it that way.

"Who told you? Urahara?" she said, realizing that there was little reason to hold back. It would change nothing now if he knew the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me, Rukia?" he asked, and, for the first time, she heard pain in his voice. "I might have been able to help."

"There is nothing you can do. There is nothing anyone can do. Urahara must have told you that."

"Then at least we could have spent what time is left together," he said, avoiding the truth of her words, "You should have trusted me."

The senkai gate was beginning to materialize. Rukia stood up and began to walk towards it, away from him.

"I love you, Rukia," he said simply.

"You are a child, Ichigo," she said coldly. She did not look back at him when she spoke, she couldn't bring herself to see his face. "You believe that if you wish a thing to happen with enough conviction, it will happen. Go back to your life. Get on with your life. You do not belong in this world."

And with that, she stepped through the gate, and was gone. And he was left there, staring at the space into which she had vanished, the pain in his soul threatening to engulf him.


	9. Once upon a time in Hueco Mundo

Chapter Nine: Once upon a time in Hueco Mundo

When Rukia arrived in Hueco Mundo, Aizen was waiting for her. He was seated casually on what could only be described as a throne of sorts, set up high on a dais.

"Good to see you again, Rukia-chan," he said, smiling.

"_The same condescending manner as before," thought Rukia, remembering how, not so long ago, Aizen had held her like a rag doll and reached into her soul to retrieve the Hogyoku. _

The feeling of being violated remained with her, but she stood her ground, refusing to let him intimidate her. "You knew I'd come, didn't you?" she asked, betraying no emotion.

"Of course. I planned it that way. I also knew Yamamoto would send you." He smiled again, "It doesn't matter though, I will still help you."

She knew nothing she could say would convince him that she had come on her own. "What do you expect in return, Aizen?" she asked coldly. There had to be a price, a plan. She was sure of it.

"Nothing at all, Rukia-chan," he answered coyly, uncrossing and recrossing his legs for effect. She did not believe him, of course. The answer to her question would come in time, undoubtedly. "I only wish to share with you the power of the Hogyoku," he continued, the same sly smile perched on his lips, "is that so selfish of me?"

She said nothing.

"I will teach you to control the hollow, and you will learn Bankai," he continued. "If you choose to stay here after you have finished your training, you may stay. If you choose to go, then you may leave. It's a simple as that."

Nothing was simple with this man, she thought. He would never let her leave of her own accord.

"We will begin tomorrow," said Aizen, getting up and motioning to a shadowy figure, "Someone will show you to your room so you can get some rest. Tomorrow will be a challenging day for you."

***********************************

True to his promise, Aizen personally saw to her training every day for the next two weeks. This surprised her – she had expected one of his surrogates, perhaps Gin, to be her "sensei." Aizen taught Rukia a fighting style far more aggressive than the technique she had mastered at the Shinigami Academy years ago. She learned how to most effectively use her hollow attacks, and which attacks worked for best for each style of fighting she might encounter.

During her training, the hollowfication continued to progress. The armor which had originally only covered her shoulder now covered her entire left arm, wrist and hand, leaving only her fingers visible. When she pressed him, Aizen reassured her that he would only permit her hollowfication to continue to a point, at which time he would use the Hogyoku to stop the process. Rukia had no choice but to take him at his word.

After two weeks had passed, Aizen no longer came to train her, but began to send Arrancar, each more powerful than the last. It was during this time fighting the Arrancar that Rukia mastered bankai, something she had not expected to achieve in her lifetime, let alone in such a short period of time. She was reminded of Ichigo's incredibly quick mastery of bankai, and concluded that the hollowfication process itself had been the key, in both of their cases.

Rukia also came to understand that the destruction of the Hogyoku was essential for the Soul Society to achieve any lasting victory over Aizen and his army of Arrancar. She found herself wondering when Aizen would make his move to take Karakura. Had it already been three months? She was unsure. The monotony of her existence had caused her to lose track of how long it had been since she had arrived in this bleak place.

Not unexpectedly, Aizen kept any preparations for the upcoming war with the Soul Society from Rukia. She was kept isolated from the rest of the Arrancar except for training sessions, and any attempts at conversation during those sessions had been dismal failures. She struggled to come up with some way to contact the Soul Society, but could think of none. She grew restless, anxious.

Since her arrival in Hueco Mundo, Rukia had found herself dreaming the same dream each night. She was standing in a very bright space. She searched desperately to find an exit, a way out of the vast expansion of light. She found none. Finally, exhausted, she would fall asleep within her dream, only to wake up to find herself in that same blank space. Rukia told herself that these dreams were the result of her confinement in Hueco Mundo, that they represented her deep-seated desire to return home and see those who meant so much to her.

Around the time she achieved bankai, the dreams changed. They felt more real, less dream-like. And she was no longer alone in that endless white space. There was another presence. A familiar presence. The incarnation of the voice within her head. The tall, beautiful woman with dark hair and a seductive voice.

More disturbingly, Rukia began to hear that voice when she was awake. At first, it sounded like an echo or a person speaking in another room, and she couldn't make out the words. Slowly, however, the voice soon became clear, more focused, she could no longer convince herself it had just been her imagination. She came to believe it was the voice of the hollow within her.

"_You are getting stronger, little one," came the disembodied voice. "Soon it will be time for us to join together, and you won't be lonely any more."_

"I am lonely," she thought as she lay down to sleep. Then, pushing the thought aside and resolving not to let her emotions interfere with her mission, Rukia slept and dreamed of loss. Of Ichigo.

*************************************

The next day, Aizen summoned Rukia back to the huge room in which he had first welcomed her to Hueco Mundo. He sat, as he had then, high above her. Looking up into the semi-darkness, she felt tired and small. This was undoubtedly the effect he hoped he would have on her, she thought, fighting to maintain her focus and her composure.

"Rukia-chan," he said, casually, "it's time for you to choose."

"Choose?" she asked, in a voice that felt as though it had not come from her lips. "I don't understand."

"_You know the choice you must make," came the voice inside of her, low and enticing._

"You must decide if you will stay or you will return," smiled Aizen. "I am keeping my promise."

"_It's your choice, little one. He does not lie," came the voice, soothing and kind._

"It's my choice," Rukia said, dreamily. She was so tired.

"_You deserve to sleep, Rukia."_

"I want to sleep," she thought, yawning in spite of herself.

"_He will let you sleep peacefully, Rukia."_

"Rukia-chan, are you all right?" came Aizen's voice from far away. He was smiling patronizingly. Rukia struggled to focus her eyes on his face.

"_If you choose to stay, you can sleep peacefully," came the voice, echoing around her._

"_I need to sleep," said Rukia._

"I choose to stay," she said out loud, swaying where she stood. She did not know where the words had come from. "I want peace," she thought. And as she said these words, she was engulfed in a bright whiteness. Blissful oblivion.

"_Welcome home, Rukia," smiled the woman with the blood red dress. "Sleep now, child, and I will protect you."_


	10. Another Rescue of Sorts

Chapter Ten: Another Rescue of Sorts

"_He is here. He is looking for you." Rukia, curled up on the floor in the white space, stirred, her eyes fluttering open. _

"_Ichigo is here?" Through the dimness of her consciousness, she felt a pang of fear. He was in danger. She could not bear it if he were hurt. Killed._

"_Ichigo!" she screamed. She knew he couldn't hear her. She got to her feet and ran, looking for a way out. "Please don't hurt him!" she cried, and her voice echoed around the blankness._

"_He will be here soon, Rukia. Then he will be ours, forever."_

Ichigo ran quickly down the long corridor, trying to feel her reiatsu. She felt very far away. He knew he was heading in the right direction only because his sense of her was getting stronger, but only very slightly.

There wasn't much time. Aizen had figured out how to block access to Hueco Mundo by normal senkai gate, but Urahara had finally managed to open a passage from the Soul Society. The passage, Urahara had told Ichigo, would stay open a few hours at most, after which time it would take nearly a year to reopen it.

"_Where are you, Rukia?" he thought desperately._

The surprising absence of Arrancar he had seen in Hueco Mundo was disturbing. Ichigo and Byakuya had expected to encounter resistance from the moment they arrived in Las Noches, but there had been none. They had seen no one, outside or inside the fortress-like building. Ichigo knew the Arrancar were here, somewhere, waiting to show themselves. He put his hand to the hilt of Zangetsu, the warmth of the blade reassuring him.

Ichigo stopped and closed his eyes, trying to focus. He pictured Rukia's face and willed himself to remember the feel of her, the scent of her. And then he found it, a slim ribbon of soul. Her soul.

"_Ichigo!"_

Ichigo opened his eyes and looked around. Had he heard her voice, or had he only imagined it? He forced himself to focus and closed his eyes once more, this time catching hold of her soul ribbon and holding it tightly. He knew where she was.

There were doors ahead, evenly spaced on either side. Living quarters, perhaps. He concentrated hard again, and stopped at a door to his left. She was here, he could feel her. The door opened at his touch.

"Rukia!"

The room was a study in white and black, like the rest of the building. She lay, curled up on a bed, still wearing her shinigami uniform. He smiled. He had known all along that she would never have betrayed the Soul Society, and the tattered black fabric was his vindication.

"Rukia!" he said again, this time with more urgency, "Rukia, wake up, we have to get out of here."

He expected her to stir, to open her eyes, but she did not. _"What have they done to her?" he thought, as the specter of guilt began to rise in his throat._ He gathered her in his arms, forcing himself to ignore the dark circles under her eyes, her now long hair in disarray, and her slightly sunken cheeks. "She's alive," he told himself, "that's enough for now."

As Ichigo began to run with Rukia in his arms, back to the place where the gate stood open, waiting for their return, he heard a huge explosion in the distance. _"Byakuya," he thought, sensing the powerful shinigami, "fighting."_

Ichigo began to use shunpo, knowing that time was short, and expecting to confront Arrancar at any moment. Ahead, Ichigo saw the door which led back out of the building. "Not far now," he thought, knowing that, outside that door was their means to escape. He reached for the handle and opened it.

"Welcome, Kurosaki Ichigo. How kind of you to bring Rukia to me." Aizen stood, high above the enormous room in which Ichigo now found himself.

"_Aizen's__Kanzen Saimin," thought Ichigo, "perfect hypnosis_." Aizen's zanpakto was the stuff of legend in the Soul Society after the events leading up to Rukia's near-execution. _"I need to be more careful," he thought, "he could easily have killed both of us."_

"What have you done to her, Aizen?" shouted Ichigo, trying to master the fierce hatred that burned inside him.

"A little experiment," came the reply, "only partially successful. She was a disappointment." Aizen's tone was so casual, he could have been discussing the weather. "Of course, she may yet be useful to me," he continued, with a smile.

"Bastard!" yelled Ichigo, unable to contain himself any longer. Setting Rukia down gently next to the nearest wall, he drew Zangetsu. "Bankai!" he shouted. There was no time to test the waters with shikai, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast of blue fire soared to where Aizen stood. Aizen did not move. Ichigo's attack split down the middle at Aizen's feet, not touching him, and then dissipated into the dark edges of the room.

"Ichigo-san," said Aizen, "let me explain something to you. I am not your opponent. She is." He gestured to the still motionless Rukia.

A glint of reflected light shone in Aizen's hand. The Hogyoku. Aizen had picked it up and was fingering it lazily, like a child getting ready to skip a stone across a pond. Playfully. Aizen then covered the jewel-like object with his fingers and said, "You know what to do, Rukia."

Instinctively, Ichigo looked to the place where he had put Rukia down. She was standing, now, her eyes fluttering open. But they were not the familiar violet eyes Ichigo knew, the eyes he had once longed to lose himself in. Rukia's eyes now glowed blood red, and Ichigo felt the familiar presence of the second reiatsu, dark and enticing.

"Ichigo." Her voice was high, powerful. "We all choose our own paths," she said, "I have chosen to live." And with that, she drew her zanpakuto and aimed it at him.

"She wouldn't hurt me," he thought, and he remained where he was, Zangetsu resting on the ground.

A powerful burst of ice shot from the end of Sode no Shirayuki. She had aimed for his heart.

"Dammit, Rukia, what the hell…" shouted Ichigo as he dodged the attack, "Are you trying to kill me?!"

"You know what Aizen has given me. You know what it feels like, Ichigo, the feeling of that power. You hunger for it, too. You have chosen to subjugate your hollow, Ichigo, while I have learned to embrace mine," she said, and her eyes appeared to glow brighter.

"I won't fight you, Rukia. This isn't you talking. I know you…"

"If you do not defend yourself, Ichigo," Rukia said coldly, interrupting him, "I will kill you." As she spoke, her eyes glowed red again, pulsing with energy, and shimmering white particles coalesced into a white mask and armor as she released the hollow within.

"You won't hurt me," said Ichigo. Even as he said it though, he felt a shiver run through him.

"You should be afraid of me, Ichigo. Even your bankai is not enough to defeat me," she said, evenly.

Rukia closed her eyes briefly and, as she did so, particles of ice formed around her body in a halo of white. She opened her red eyes, and, as she did so, she whispered, "Bankai."

The ice crystals danced around her, enveloping her from head to foot. Almost as soon as the crystals wrapped themselves around her, they began to take form. She wore a hakama of pure white. In her left hand, Rukia held a dagger, silver with a crystal hilt. In her right hand she held Sode no Shirayuki, now pure white from hilt to tip. In fact, she was entirely white, save the glowing red eyes beneath the mask and the rose tint of her lips.

A mixture of awe and horror swept over Ichigo as she stood there, power emanating so strongly from her body that it was visible in shimmering waves around her. And then it came to Ichigo, the thing he had tried so hard to remember, the feeling that he couldn't quite place the night he had kissed her at the door of the clinic. The reiatsu that was joined with Rukia's. The dream. He felt fear akin to that he had felt in Hueco Mundo when he saw Rukia fall at Aizen's hand. The woman in the dream who he had lusted after. Rukia. They were united in the person he saw standing before him.


	11. Duality and Death

Chapter Eleven: Duality and Death

"You don't understand, do you, Ichigo?" said Rukia, softly, "I will kill you." She raised Sode no Shirayuki high above her and sent an immense stream of ice and light towards where he stood.

Ichigo, with his incredible speed, dodged the attack easily. The shower of ice hit the nearest wall with such power that it opened an enormous hole in the side of the building. The dark sky with its crescent moon were clearly visible through the opening.

"_She's gotten unbelievably strong," he thought._

Ichigo struggled to make sense of the connection between the woman in his dream and the hollow within Rukia. Unlike his hollow, a doppelganger and the incarnation of Ichigo's primal self, the dream woman's form was very different from Rukia.

Ichigo knew that the Hogyoku was most likely responsible for Rukia's hollowfication. Mayuri had told him as much. Perhaps the woman he had seen in the dream was the manifestation of the Hogyoku itself, or something separate from Rukia's soul. If that was true, maybe it was possible to separate Rukia from the Hogyoku. _"It's at least worth a try," he thought, "assuming she doesn't kill me first."_

"You cannot dodge my attacks indefinitely," said Rukia, eyes blazing. She aimed yet another attack at him, "You cannot escape death." He dodged the attack again. And then it came to him. Ichigo knew what he must do.

"Kill me, then," he taunted, lowering his zanpakuto, "It's what you want, isn't it? It's what she wants, right?"

Rukia laughed, "Fool! You would give up your life so easily?"

"For you, my friend, I would," he replied. It was the truth. He would gladly die for her.

"Then, so be it," she said, and, touching her zanpakuto to the blade in her other hand, she closed her eyes briefly. A strange combination of cero and ice formed where the blades met. She opened her eyes and silently willed the ball of energy towards him.

Ichigo stood his ground and braced for the impact of her attack. When the burst of power was within inches of striking him in the chest, he turned slightly. Rukia's attack hit him hard, in the shoulder, and he was thrown back yards away from her. The floor beneath him cracked, and smoke filled the air. The pain in his shoulder was excruciating.

"_Ichigo!" Again, she tried to call to him, but no sound came from her lips. "No! Ichigo!"_

"_That's right, child. You want him. You desire him. This way, he will be yours forever."_

Rukia had stopped moving, and was looking at him, her eyes traveling to his shoulder. It was scorched and bloody. For just a split second, Ichigo thought he saw a hint of the familiar violet of Rukia's eyes. And then it was gone again, replaced by the red, glowing brightly. But a spark of hope was kindled in Ichigo.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked her, getting up slowly, "Did it feel good?"

Her response was immediate - another flash of fire and ice. This time, he stood perfectly still and took the brunt of her attack head on. _"I won't be able to keep this up for much longer," he thought. _He steeled himself for another attack.

"_Please, stop," cried Rukia, "you're killing him!" She had to find a way out - a way to stop this._

"_You love him, don't you?" came the throaty voice, "You want him, you want to be with him."_

"_Not if it means hurting him," she yelled, "I could never do that! I'd rather die." And with that, something palpable changed. She could see a doorway, far in the distance. She began to run. If only her legs didn't feel so heavy…_

"No!" shouted Rukia. Ichigo saw it again, the red of her eyes had faded, replaced by the familiar violet.

"Rukia," Ichigo said, pulling himself up from the floor. The pain in his chest took his breath away. "You don't want to do this. Please stop!"

Rukia looked at him, and, beneath her mask, he saw the pain in her eyes. Then she smiled at him. It was not the cold smile he had expected, it was kind, gentle. Had he reached her?

Still smiling, she turned the knife she held in her left hand and plunged it into her heart. It took him so totally by surprise, that he had no time to react. He could not stop her.

"Rukia!" His anguished cry echoed through the huge room. Rukia's mask shattered into a thousand pieces and her weapons crumbled.

Oblivious of the pain from his wounds, Ichigo ran to her. He didn't care that Aizen sat, watching them intently. Ichigo's only thought was that he could not fail her again, never again.

Rukia had dropped to her knees, blood dripping silently onto the tiled floor from the wound in her chest. Ichigo dropped down beside her, one arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling forward and hitting the hard floor.

"Ichigo," she said softly, "you always seem to be catching me when I fall."

"I'm going to get you out of here," he told her, "I'm taking you home." She could not die. He would not allow her to die.

"Ichigo," said Rukia, smiling again, "I have a confession to make."

"We'll have time for that later," he said, looking around to determine the best and fastest way to get her out of here. This time, there was no Orihime to heal her injuries. He needed to get her to the Soul Society quickly.

"Please," she said, "I need to tell you…" Her voice trailed off, her eyes pleading silently to him.

"Sure," he said, forcing himself to look at her.

"What I said when I left you in the Soul Society, Ichigo…" Her voice was barely audible, and he put his face closer to hers, "I lied, Ichigo. I never thought of you as a child. I'm so sorry I hurt you." She closed her eyes. Her face was peaceful.


	12. Revelations

Chapter Twelve: Revelations

"She was stronger than I gave her credit," said Aizen, still looking down from the dais, "I hadn't expected this. Very entertaining. Of course, it was you I wanted from the start. You know that, I'm sure."

"I am going to kill you, Aizen," shouted Ichigo, the blood rising in his face. He would make Aizen suffer the way he had made Rukia suffer, the way he had made the shinigami suffer.

Aizen placed the Hogyoku on a small pedestal near his seat and moved slowly to the edge of his high perch. "That's what I'm counting on," he said, nonplussed, "the true reason I brought you here."

Ichigo had had more than enough of Aizen's games. He took Rukia's body and laid it out gently, out of harm's way. _"No more games," he thought, as he released his hollow._ There was no protest from the hollow Ichigo this time. The King remained in control. Focused.

Before Ichigo could launch his first attack, he heard a voice from behind him, "Kurosaki." Byakuya, looking no worse for wear, stood impassively near Rukia's body.

"This is my fight, Kuchiki," said the hollowized Ichigo, "Get her out of here." Ichigo was sure Byakuya would not leave, but he hesitated momentarily, trying to get a read on what Byakuya intended to do. Before Byakuya could make any move, however, the room was full of Arrancar. Neither Ichigo nor Byakuya were going anywhere, at least for now.

Ichigo turned back to face Aizen. He guessed, correctly it seemed, that Aizen's zanpakuto would not be able to hypnotize him while he was in his hollowized form. Aizen seemed to realize this, and it amused him. It had been a very long time since Aizen had needed to fight in the traditional sense, and he welcomed an opponent of Ichigo's caliber.

The power from Aizen's first strike blew the ceiling out of the building. Ichigo knew that Aizen was far more powerful than any opponent he had ever faced before. This was a fight to the death, Ichigo knew, and he had no intention of dying here. It was the least he could do for Rukia.

For his part, Byakuya was fighting at least seven Arrancar at once. Even for a shinigami as powerful as Byakuya, this would be no easy victory. Both Ichigo and Byakuya had known that they might never leave Hueco Mundo. All the same, neither had hesitated. The fight had been expected.

Now outdoors, for all intents and purposes, the fighters spread out under the stars. Fragments of building and dust hung in the air, and it was difficult to see more than a few feet away. Ichigo, in his hollowized form, fought almost entirely by feel, his heightened sense of reiatsu a more reliable gauge of his opponent's location than his eyes.

Trying to catch his breath after a particularly close hit from Aizen's zanpakuto, Ichigo felt movement not far from where he stood. It was impossible to immediately make out the reiatsu from among so many, but he knew it was not an enemy. It moved at an unbelievable speed. Realization began to dawn on Ichigo, but before he could react, he heard her voice, clear and strong above the noise below,

"Ichigo, Byakuya!" shouted Rukia.

Many things happened at once, and Ichigo had little time to think. Rukia brought her zanpakuto down with a swift blow, striking a small object which sat, undisturbed, where Aizen had left it. The resulting explosion was immense, engulfing all of the fighters in debris and creating an enormous crater where the Hogyoku had once been.

Ichigo, instinctively using his reiatsu to shield his body from the flying bits of rock, sand and building, was thrown hundreds of yards from the center of the explosion. Ichigo's mask shattered as he fell, and he was knocked unconscious as his head hit the ground. The next thing Ichigo knew, a strong hand was pulling him off the ground. Byakuya, his face covered in dirt.

"Where's Rukia?" said Ichigo, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts.

"Right here," came her voice from behind him. "You seem to be the only one who needs to be carried," she teased, and he saw her smile.

"I'm fine," Ichigo said, dusting himself off and getting to his feet, slightly flustered. He was more than fine. She was alive. He didn't understand it yet, but it didn't matter right now.

"They are coming," said Byakuya, bringing Ichigo back to his senses, "the gate is not far."

Using shunpo, they reached Urahara's gate, the Arrancar following closely behind. Byakuya, over their protests, pushed Rukia and Ichigo through and then stepped through the gate himself, using his zanpakuto to permanently seal the opening. They fell through the gate and landed hard on the ground.

Rukia stood up. She looked around and saw the familiar buildings of the Seireitei. Then she closed her eyes to drink in the smell and taste of the fresh air. She was home.

Ichigo stood a few feet away from her, sheathing Zanghetsu. She wanted to run to him, to hold him, to tell him all the things she had forced herself to keep hidden from him. Before she had made her mind up to throw all caution to the wind, however, one of the young shinigamis who had been guarding the gate ran up to them.

"Captain Kuchiki, Captain Kurosaki, sirs. I will alert the Captain-Commander at once that you have returned," he said, turning on his heel and rushing off.

Rukia felt the blood drain from her face. "Captain Kurosaki?" she repeated. The chill she felt run down her spine had nothing to do with the cool wind which whipped silently around them.

Finally, realization dawned on Rukia with amazing clarity. She turned to look at Ichigo and Byakuya and asked, "How long have I been gone?"

"More than ten years," came the answer.


	13. Drowning Slowly

Chapter Thirteen: Drowning Slowly

Ichigo left Rukia with Byakuya a short time later, having reassured himself that Rukia was unhurt. Ichigo was sure that Byakuya would see to it that Rukia was well-cared for. Not that she appeared to need to need much care. Apparently, Rukia's hollow abilities also included high-speed regeneration, an ability Ichigo did not possess.

Ichigo arrived back at the Division Five barracks, exhausted and looking forward to a long shower. Letting the warm water run down his back, Ichigo closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Ten years of unresolved feelings, of frustration and, sometimes, fear, would take more than a few minutes to wash away. But it was a start.

Seeing Rukia back in the Soul Society felt strange to him. For so many years, this place had reminded Ichigo of her, but her presence was more like the spirits he had seen as a child in the Real World, a ghostly memory.

Ichigo's life in the Soul Society, his life as an adult, had begun without Rukia. His work as Captain of the Fifth had heralded a new chapter in his life, his choice, at long last, to leave behind the Real World and move forward with both his soul and body in this world of souls.

Although Ichigo was deeply committed to his command, finding Rukia had been the main focus of his life for many years now. He had, unconsciously, assumed that finding her would provide him with closure, an ending. And yet nothing was truly resolved – he must wait for her yet again. This was no easy feat. Ichigo was still a man of action; waiting was not his strength.

No matter what unresolved feelings he had about her return, Ichigo knew it was Rukia who would likely have the most difficulty adjusting. He wanted to help her, to make it easier for her. But the last ten years had also taught Ichigo that this was a journey Rukia must take herself. The look on Rukia's face when he had told her it had now been more than ten years since she left told him as much. That uncomprehending, lost look reminded Ichigo of how he had felt when she had left him, alone, in the mountains outside the Seireitei more than ten years ago.

**********************************

Ten years ago, Ichigo had been angry, hurt and confused after Rukia left him alone on the mountainside. He spent most of the day brooding in the spot where she had left through the senkai gate. After dark, he had headed back to the Seireitei. Once there, Ichigo found Renji on his way to the usual drinking spot, and they walked together in silence.

As always, the bar was full of shinigami, loud and drunk. Ichigo's sake cup was refilled many times and, anxious to rid himself of the pain which burned inside him, Ichigo drank quickly. This time, however, the sake only made Ichigo angrier.

"_Damn her," he thought as the room spun slightly about him._

They had been drinking for over an hour when Renji said, in a low voice, "I heard she went to Hueco Mundo." Rumors of Rukia's hollowfication had spread through the Seireitei, despite the Captain-Commander's attempts to keep her transformation a secret.

"Eh. So what?" came the terse response. Ichigo knew what people would think, and it made him angry. "She's not a traitor, Renji" he said, getting to his feet, temper rising.

"I never said that," said Renji, now sure that he had made a mistake by bringing it up.

"I don't know," came another voice, Ikkaku now, always ready to argue. "Why would she leave now, when the battle is weeks away?"

Renji shrugged off the comment. Ichigo, on the other hand, glared at Ikkaku. "I'm sure she had her reasons," he said.

"Can't think of anything that'd make me turn tail and run," replied Ikkaku, smirking.

"That's enough," yelled Ichigo, and he stood up, swaying just a bit, and drew his zanpakuto. He would defend her, no matter what. The shinigami seated at tables near Ichigo got up quickly and backed away.

"Hit a nerve, Kurosaki?" Ikkaku smirked again, also standing up and drawing his zanpakuto.

The small bar was suddenly silent, and, although they backed off to give the two men distance, the other shinigami watched eagerly. Friendly fights between drunk shinigami were relatively commonplace, but the prospect of the powerful Third Seat of the Eleventh Division fighting the human Ryoka boy was a once in a lifetime event.

"Ichigo," said Renji, "drop it." Renji's attempt to calm Ichigo down was half-hearted – part of him honestly believed a good trouncing would do Ichigo good.

And a trouncing it was. Ichigo, who was at least as powerful a shinigami as Ikkaku, was by far the less experienced drinker. Ikkaku, who had been drinking and fighting for nearly a hundred years, had won many a fight while inebriated.

Ichigo, still slightly unsure on his feet, fired off the first volley without comment, missing Ikkaku by several feet. A group of watching shinigami jumped out of the way just in time, as the attack blew a large hole in the side of the bar.

"Not bad, Kurosaki," laughed Ikkaku, "except you need to hit me, not the building!" Ikkaku's response was better aimed, and Ichigo was blown back into the tables behind him, glassware flying in all directions.

"Kurosaki, do you know the difference between a boy and a man?" goaded Ikkaku. "If a man's right arm is injured in battle, he accepts it and uses his left arm to fight. If a boy's right arm is injured, he continues to fight with it, and dies with a perfectly good left arm."

Ikkaku's commentary infuriated Ichigo. The words had cut too close to the truth. Ichigo gritted his teeth and ran at Ikkaku, zanpakuto in front on him.

"You bastard," growled Ichigo as he ran at Ikkaku.

Ikkaku stood still and aimed his weapon at Ichigo, grinning broadly. Ikkaku's attack hit right in front of Ichigo's feet, and Ichigo flew into the air and landed squarely on his back. Ichigo struggled briefly to get up and then promptly passed out, hitting the ground again with a thud.

A few minutes later, Renji helped Ichigo off the floor of the now-destroyed bar. "You should have known better, Kurosaki," he said. Ichigo looked pathetic, broken.

"_He's really just a kid," thought Renji to himself, "sometimes I forget."_

The next morning, Renji accompanied Ichigo back to the Real World on Yamamoto's orders. Renji would take over the work Rukia had started. He knew that the real work would be making sure Ichigo was ready for the fight.

"_Can't have you getting killed right now, kid," he thought, "Rukia needs you alive."_

**********************************

After he returned to the Real World with Renji, time moved quickly for Ichigo. Through it all, Ichigo continued to believe that Rukia had gone to Aizen to help the Soul Society, and Ichigo expected that she would return, or there would be some news of her any day. But the war was now over, and Rukia still had not returned. Pain returned in her stead, taking up residence in Ichigo's heart.

Adjusting to life after the war for Karakura Town was far more challenging than any battle. Always a good student, Ichigo's grades had suffered because of his long absences from the classroom, and he was forced to repeat several classes entirely. Isshin had made it clear to Ichigo that, shinigami or not, Ichigo would go to college. This meant that Ichigo was forced to take makeup classes in order to graduate with his class, whereas the other students were free to enjoy their vacations.

The first summer after the war, Orihime and Chad often stopped by the clinic to check on Ichigo. They usually found him studying in his room, sullen and irritable. Around the middle of summer, Chad left Japan to visit relatives in Mexico. Orihime, who had no family to speak of, stayed in Karakura and continued to visit Ichigo.

One night, Orihime found Ichigo sitting on his bed, staring up at the clear night sky. "Kurosaki-kun," she said softly as she sat down next to him, "you miss her too, don't you?" Ichigo said nothing.

"Kurosaki-kun," her voice hesitant this time, "it's a beautiful evening…mmm…would you like to go into town and…ah…maybe get something to eat?"

He looked at her. _"All these months," he thought, "I've been nothing but a jerk to her and Chad." Ichigo smiled._ The smiled was forced, but Ichigo felt genuine affection for Orihime. She had been kind and patient with him through it all.

"Sure, Orihime," he said, shaking off the gloom for her, "that'd be nice."

They ate at an open-air mall downtown. Ichigo was amazed that Orihime could eat so many noodles and still stay so small. After eating, they played video games at a nearby arcade. They both laughed at how terrible a player she was.

"You're hopeless," he told her, smiling, "Chad and I are going to need to give you lessons."

For the first time since the war ended, Ichigo slept well that night.

**********************************

The summer dragged on, and Ichigo found himself looking forward to Orihime's visits which were his only respite from studying and classes, other than the occasional call from the Soul Society to dispatch a hollow in Karakura. He still dreamed about Rukia, and the ache in him when he thought of her still gave him physical pain, but he no longer thought about her constantly. It had been, he thought, her choice to leave. Whatever he had meant to her, it had not been enough to make her stay.

Ichigo's last year in high school went by much faster than he'd expected. Before he knew it, he, Orihime and Chad had graduated. Chad, unsure of what he wanted to do after high school, took a job working at a local gym teaching western-style boxing. Orihime got a job as an apprentice to a local chef, a feat which never ceased to amaze Ichigo. Uryuu and Ichigo enrolled at Karakura University and, with some hesitation from both sides, decided to share a small apartment nearby.

"Kurosaki," said Uryuu one night, as both of them studied for a calculus test, "do you wonder about her sometimes?"

"Wonder about who," answered Ichigo, not looking up from his textbook.

"Rukia, you idiot," shot back Uryuu, "Who else?"

"What business of yours would it be if I did," was Ichigo's response. He scowled, but still did not look up from his textbook.

"Maybe it's none of mine," said Uryuu, watching Ichigo intently, "but it matters to Orihime." Uryuu braced himself for a punch. Surprisingly, none came. Emboldened, Uryuu continued, "You spend a lot of time with her."

"She's my friend. What's wrong with spending time with her?"

"She's in love with you, stupid, that's what's wrong with it." Was Ichigo really that dense, thought Uryuu, or had he really not noticed?

Ichigo was silent. He knew Uryuu had spoken the truth. Still, it wasn't something Ichigo wanted to think about. Ichigo cared deeply about Orihime, but until now he hadn't really thought about her in a romantic way.

Satisfied that he had made his point, Uryuu dropped the subject.

**********************************

The weekend after the conversation between Ichigo and Uryuu about Orihime, Ichigo found himself alone with her. Chad, Uryuu, Ichigo and Orihime had planned on seeing a movie in town, but Chad had to work late and Uryuu had begged off, saying that he had a paper to write before Monday classes. Ichigo guessed that Uryuu had ulterior motives in wanting to see the two of them alone together, but he didn't let on.

Ichigo met Orihime at the movie theater. A chill was in the fall air. As they stood in line, Orihime's long hair whipped around her as the wind blew. She did have beautiful hair, he thought.

Ichigo, hands in his pockets, felt suddenly uncomfortable as he remembered Uryuu's words. _"All this time," he thought, "and she never said anything."_ He wondered if he had done something to lead her to believe that his feelings for her were more than just friendship.

"Kurosaki-kun, should we get some popcorn?" asked Orihime as they walked into the theater.

"Sure," he said, "and, Orihime…please call me Ichigo." She blushed. Ichigo was thankful it was an action/adventure flick. He was intensely aware of her presence as she sat next to him.

After the movie ended, they decided to grab dinner and headed to one of Ichigo's favorite restaurants just blocks from the movie theater. Seated in the small restaurant looking at menus, Ichigo realized with a slight start where he was. It was the same restaurant to which he had taken Rukia before she left for Hueco Mundo. The night he had first kissed Rukia. The pain in his gut was palpable.

Ichigo's discomfort must have been visible to Orihime, because she looked concerned. "What's the matter, Kurosaki-ku…, I mean, Ichigo?" she asked.

"I can't stay here," replied Ichigo, "I'm sorry." And he got up from the table and walked quickly out the restaurant. She followed him outside.

"Are you all right, Ichigo?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he lied. She was so kind. He didn't want to hurt her, to burden her.

Ichigo stood looking at her silently. _"I really __am__ a jerk," he thought. "She deserves so much more than this."_

"I miss her, too," Orihime said simply.

Ichigo wanted to let go, to forget Rukia. He wanted so badly to end the pain. And, the next thing he knew, he found himself kissing Orihime.


	14. Changes

Chapter Fourteen: Changes

Ten years. Rukia wanted, no needed time alone to think and try to make sense of what had happened to her. She was tired of being poked and prodded. But Byakuya had insisted that Captain Unohana look Rukia over to make sure she was fully healed.

"Captain Kuchiki has told me about your injuries in Hueco Mundo, Rukia-san," Unohana told her. "You appear to have fully recovered. I see no reason to keep you at the clinic, but I think it prudent that you consult with Captain Kurotsuchi before you return to duty."

Kurotsuchi, who still gave made Rukia's stomach turn, took longer in evaluating her condition. "Kuchiki Rukia," he said, after an examination that lasted several hours, "the hollowfication process appears to have been halted. I do not see any reason to keep you from your duties. I would, however, like to study you in more depth, to determine the nature of your powers and…"

"There is no need for that, Mayuri," interrupted Byakuya, to Rukia's profound relief. "If my sister has any further need of your expertise," Byakuya continued, "we will advise you."

It was dark by the time Rukia and Byakuya walked back to the Kuchiki estate. "Nii-sama," said Rukia, as they walked through the familiar gardens to the house, "thank you for bringing me home."

Byakuya merely nodded. _"He hasn't changed," thought Rukia as she left him to head to her bedroom._ The thought comforted her.

Her room was exactly as she had left it ten years ago. Eager to bathe, she removed her tattered black hakama and laid it carefully on the bed. Naked, she walked to the bath and turned on the faucet to let the tub fill. As she did so, Rukia caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. She did not recognize the woman looking back at her.

When she had left the Soul Society, Rukia had been more than a hundred years old, but she still looked like a girl of fifteen or sixteen. The Rukia reflected in the mirror was no longer a girl. She was taller by several inches, and her body's curves were now quite pronounced. She now had full breasts, where before there had been just the hint of what was yet to come.

Rukia was not disappointed in what she saw in the mirror, although she had always been comfortable with her body the way she remembered it. Still, her reflection frightened her. _"If I have changed so much," she thought, "what else has changed since I've been gone?"_ _And, then the thought she dreaded most, "And Ichigo. How has he changed?"_

*************************************

Several hours later, a servant came to tell Rukia that she had a visitor. Rukia, now dressed in a blue and white kimono, quickly went to the front entryway, curious to see who had gotten word of her return.

"Renji!" she shouted when she saw him, and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "It's so good to see you again."

Clearly surprised by her uncharacteristic affection, Renji's face reddened slightly. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "You look great, Rukia," he said at last. She smiled. "Beautiful is more like it," he thought to himself, taking in her changed appearance.

"I heard from a guard at the senkai gate that you had returned," he said, after regaining his composure, "I thought I'd come over and see if you wanted to join some of us for drinks. There's a little place where the officers usually go…"

"I'd love to, Renji" Rukia interrupted. She was suddenly restless and keen for the company of others. Sitting around the house with Byakuya meant she had to think, and she had come to realize she wasn't quite ready for that yet. Distraction would do her good.

Renji and Rukia walked through the Seireitei to a bar located not far from the Seventh Division's barracks. Unlike the bars of the Rukongai, it was clean, well-lit, and relatively spacious. Shinigami sat at the bar, at tables, and in several semi-private rooms with sliding screens. The sound from the bar was lively, but far more reserved than some of the bars she had been dragged to when she had first joined the Thirteenth Division. Renji ordered a large bottle of sake, and poured them both drinks.

"Ten years, and you're still with the Eleventh?" asked Rukia, noting Renji's armband, denoting his rank as Vice-Captain.

"Yeah," he said, smirking, "I was offered a command after the war, but I turned it down."

"Still trying to show my brother who's boss, huh?" she laughed. "You're still the same Renji I remember." She said it lightly, but she felt inwardly relieved that she could still read him.

It took her a few more rounds of sake before she got up the nerve to ask Renji the question that burned inside her. "And what about Ichigo?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"Captain of the Fifth," answered Renji. "Been in the Soul Society for about five years now. He started as a vice-captain and got promoted about two years ago."

"Yeah," came a familiar voice from behind Rukia, "guess they thought I had some potential."

"Ichigo!" said Rukia, jumping slightly. "Still sneaking up on me after all these years."

"Renji," said Ichigo, "mind if I borrow her for a few minutes?" Renji shrugged.

Ichigo motioned Rukia to a small patio off the side of the bar. Ichigo followed her outside. Rukia's clothing gently traced the outline of her body, and Ichigo couldn't help but stare. It was the first time he had seen her out of her ragged uniform since they had returned. _"She's even more beautiful than I remember," he thought, fighting an urge to put his arms around her and explore what lay beneath her kimono. "Now is not the time," he told himself, "you know better than to push her so soon."_

The Ichigo that Rukia saw belied none of his inner turmoil. To her, Ichigo appeared at ease, in control. For a moment, Rukia just watched him with a curious mixture of excitement and fear. Ichigo leaned casually against the patio railing.

Ichigo's face had changed subtly in the intervening years. His skin was still smooth, young, but his eyes no longer reflected the soul of a boy. They shone with the intensity of a grown man. A man who knew who he was and where he belonged.

"You look great, Rukia," he said, smiling.

"It's good to be home," she said simply. It was true, but it was not just being back in the Seireitei that made her feel that way.

"Unohana tells me you're fit to return to duty," he said.

She nodded. _"Fit," she thought, "but am I ready?"_ She wasn't sure.

"Ichigo," she began, "thank you for finding me."

"Wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Ichigo, I…"

"Don't sweat it, Rukia. I'd have done the same for any other friend," he said. It wasn't the whole truth, he knew. She was different. She had always been.

**********************************

Seven years before, Ichigo had stood on a similar patio with Orihime. The summer breeze was warm, and they had just eaten dinner at a restaurant overlooking the river. They had been seeing each other for nearly two years now, spending the little free time that Ichigo had from his studies together.

Ichigo enjoyed Orihime's company, but even now, nearly three years after she had left him for Hueco Mundo, Ichigo still thought about Rukia and wondered if she was safe. He would not let himself believe Rukia was dead. He felt, deep in his soul, that he would feel it if she were. Still, he could not shake the feeling that she was out there, alone and unable to find her way back.

He walked Orihime home to her apartment, holding her hand. _"I don't deserve someone like her," he thought to himself, guilt gnawing at him as he thought of how little time and affection he had shown her._ The ghost of Rukia still lived in his heart.

"Ichigo," said Orihime, as they reached her apartment door, "why don't you come inside and join me for some tea?"

When they had first started to see each other, Orihime had often asked him to join her inside her apartment. He had always refused, and, after some time had passed, she had stopped asking. Tonight, thought Ichigo, would be different.

"Sure, Orihime," he said. She looked surprised and somewhat relieved. She had clearly been expecting he'd turn her down.

They chatted, as they always did, about work, friends, little things. Sitting next to her on the couch, Ichigo felt comfortable, safe. He turned and kissed her lightly on the lips, as he sometimes did when they were alone. Their kisses were always comfortable and safe, as well.

This time, though, Orihime kissed him back passionately. It took Ichigo by surprise. Instinctively, he responded to her kiss and drew her close to him.

"Ichigo," she said softly, "Spend the night with me." There. She had said it. She had wanted for so long to say it, for him to love her the way she wanted to be loved, fully and completely.

Fighting back the instinct to pull away, to retreat to the place within himself where he didn't have to feel, Ichigo forced himself to remain in the moment with her. He ran his hands over her back and shoulders, brushing her hair away from her neck, and kissing her lightly there. She began to unbutton his shirt, and ran her hands over his chest. He responded by taking off her shirt and pulling her closer still, so he could feel the warmth of her breasts against his skin. And then, without warning, he stopped abruptly.

"No," he said, looking at her, pain in his eyes, "I can't do this, Orihime. I can't do this to you."

Orihime looked at Ichigo, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks. "It's okay, Ichigo, I understand," she said quietly.

"No, you don't understand," he said, "you really are an amazing woman, Orihime. You're kind and beautiful. You've given me so much."

"You still love Rukia," said Orihime. Ichigo looked down at his feet, feeling terrible, knowing he was hurting her terribly. "You will always love her," she said, smiling at him.

"Go find her, Ichigo. You have to find her and bring her back. She needs you."

"Orihime, I'm…"

She cut him off, now looking at him with determination in her eyes, "Rukia is my friend, too. I want what's best for both of you, Ichigo. I always have. Please, go find her. Tell her what she means to you."

"She's right," he thought, "I have to find Rukia. Bring her back, no matter what."

Ichigo left Orihime feeling terrible that he had hurt her, but with a renewed sense of purpose. He had made up his mind.

Ichigo headed over to Urahara's shop. He would return to the Soul Society and face his fear.


	15. Quests and Conquests

Chapter Fifteen: Quests and Conquests

Ichigo headed directly to Urahara's shop from Orihime's apartment. Urahara was seated on the floor of his living quarters drinking tea when Ichigo arrived.

"Kurosaki-kun," said Urahara in his usual drawl, "so good to see you. What brings you here so late at night?"

"I need a senkai gate," said Ichigo. He didn't have any time for banter.

"Going somewhere?" said Urahara, peering out at Ichigo beneath his striped hat. "You seem to be in quite a hurry, Kurosaki-kun."

"I need to go to the Soul Society. Now."

"She has been gone more than three years, Kurosaki-kun, what is your rush?"

His temper threatening to boil over, Ichigo gritted his teeth and said, "Will you open a gate for me or not, Urahara?"

"Of course, of course, Kurosaki-kun," replied Urahara, smiling at Ichigo patiently, "it will be just a few minutes. Help yourself to some tea in the meantime."

Ignoring this offer, Ichigo followed Urahara to the training grounds under the shop, leaving his body behind with Kon. Ichigo stood, waiting, as Urahara prepared the gate.

Several minutes later, the gate prepared, Ichigo waited as the doors began to open.

As Ichigo walked through the now-open gate, he heard Urahara say, "Be careful, Ichigo. Good intentions are never a substitute for good planning."

"Idiot," thought Ichigo, ignoring the warning. The only thing that mattered now was finding Rukia, and Ichigo didn't care how difficult a task that would be. He would get her back.

******************************************

It was also night in the Soul Society when Ichigo arrived on the other side of the senkai gate. A lone sentry sat at the gate, a shinigami with whom Ichigo had spoken several times. He waived at Ichigo as Ichigo walked quickly past.

Ichigo arrived within minutes at the door of the Captain-Commander's residence and demanded to speak with Yamamoto immediately. The tall, broad-shouldered shinigami who guarded the door looked at Ichigo for a few moments without saying anything, and then burst out laughing.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" growled Ichigo.

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto does not see visitors at night unless it is an emergency," replied the guard, chuckling as he spoke. "What business does a boy like you have with the Captain-Commander anyhow?"

"Just tell him Kurosaki Ichigo needs to speak with him."

"I'm afraid that just isn't good enough," said the guard, smirking. "Come back in the morning, and the Captain-Commander may find time to see you."

Ichigo, now furious, drew his zanpakuto. "I am not leaving until you let me see him."

"Leave now, kid, or I'm going to have to make you leave," replied the guard, drawing his weapon as well.

"There's no need to do that, Hino," came a familiar voice, "I'll take it from here."

"Vice-Captain Abarai, sir," said the guard, clearly surprised, "of course, sir."

"I can handle this, Renji," said Ichigo, eyes narrowed.

Renji put his hand on Zangetsu's blade and Ichigo lowered the weapon. "Let it go, Ichigo. You aren't going to find out anything about her like this." Ichigo looked at Renji, surprised.

"I'm not an idiot, Ichigo. Why else would you have come here in the middle of the night, except to try to find Rukia." Ichigo was silent. "Let's go to my place," said Renji as he turned to leave. Ichigo followed, glaring once more at the guard, Hino.

Later, in Renji's quarters, the two men sat on the floor, a bottle of wine between them. After some protest, Ichigo finally accepted a drink, although he barely touched it.

"Dammit, Ichigo," said Renji, after Ichigo had calmed down, "what the hell were you thinking, coming here in the middle of the night and demanding an audience with Yamamoto? Have you lost your mind?"

Ichigo stared at the still full glass in his hand. "I need to find her, Renji. Someone around here has to know what's happened to her."

Renji looked at Ichigo with resignation. "I've been trying to find out what happened to Rukia since the war ended," he said finally, "and I haven't been able to find out much. The Captain-Commander won't discuss it, especially with someone of my rank. Captain Kuchiki knows something, but he's not letting on."

"Then why did you stop me?" demanded Ichigo, "maybe Yamamoto would have told me something."

"Ichigo, you really are stupid. Yamamoto wouldn't have told you anything, especially if you barged in and yelled at him."

Ichigo was silent. Renji was probably right. Yamamoto tolerated Ichigo. He wasn't likely to give Ichigo any information, even under the best of circumstances.

"Then I'll go to Byakuya," Ichigo said. "If he doesn't tell me what he knows, I'll beat it out of him."

Renji laughed. He knew Ichigo was only half-joking. At least for now, though, Ichigo had calmed down enough that he was unlikely to go off half-cocked and demand Byakuya tell him where Rukia was while swinging his zanpakuto around.

Ichigo laughed, too. He hadn't seen Renji in more than a year, and it felt good to be back in the Soul Society, spending time with a friend who understood this part of his life. He looked at the glass, still in his hand, and took a swig. Tomorrow, he would confront Byakuya.

******************************************

Ichigo's head ached dully. Too much alcohol again, he thought. Morning dawned bright, and the sun hurt Ichigo's eyes. _"The damn sun always shines in the Soul Society," he thought, as he struggled to adjust to the light. _Renji, passed out on his bed, did not stir as Ichigo left to find Byakuya.

Ichigo didn't have to look far. Byakuya was seated at his desk in the barracks, reading. Several piles of papers were neatly stacked in front of him, and his pen sat on top of one piles, forming a perfect right angle to the paper stack. _"Tight-ass," thought Ichigo, as he strode into the room and sat down in the empty chair in from of Byakuya's desk._

Ichigo sat a full ten minutes before the elder Kuchiki acknowledged his presence. This didn't faze Ichigo, he was familiar with Byakuya's holier-than-thou attitude and he hadn't expected anything different.

"Kurosaki-Ichigo," said Byakuya, looking up from his papers to meet Ichigo's gaze. "What can I do for you?"

"Where is she?" Ichigo asked, forcing himself not to blink under Byakuya's withering stare. "Rukia, where is she?"

"My sister's whereabouts are none of your concern," came the terse reply.

"You never change, do you, Kuchiki?" said Ichigo, becoming irritated. "It's the same as before, when you didn't try to stop them from executing Rukia. You just sit back and say nothing, while she could be dead or dying somewhere in Hueco Mundo."

"She is not dead," said Byakuya, his voice unchanged, unmoved. Inwardly, Ichigo felt relief as he had never felt it before. He had been right. She was still alive. Somewhere.

"She is not dead," repeated Byakuya, "but Aizen has found a way to prevent our entry into Hueco Mundo. There is nothing we can do for her now."

Ichigo stood up, the heat rising in his face, "You call yourself her brother? You pretend to care about her, and you leave her in that place to rot?! You're a coward, Byakuya. You don't deserve to call her your sister!"

Byakuya, still seated at the table, continued to look at Ichigo as if Ichigo had been discussing the weather or some other inane topic. After a few minutes, though, Byakuya spoke again, "There is nothing we can do for her now, and even if you were to find a way into Hueco Mundo, she would probably die, along with you. You do not think before you act. You are strong, but you take too many chances. Would you take a chance with her life?"

"At least I'd try to get her back," said Ichigo, his voice rising again, "You sit here, comfortable in your chair, and do nothing. That's much worse."

"Perhaps," came Byakuya's response. "But perhaps waiting will bring her back safely."

Byakuya looked back down at the paper on his desk. The audience was over. Ichigo would get nothing else from Byakuya. That much was clear.

Ichigo went to find Renji. He walked quickly, angry and frustrated with the lack of response he was getting from people in the Soul Society_. "People who are supposed to care about what happens to her," he thought bitterly, "and they don't do a damn thing to help her."_ There had to be something they could do to find Rukia, someone that could find a way into Hueco Mundo. He had to find her, he had to rescue her. He refused to leave her in that god-forsaken place.

Ichigo found Renji, still in his quarters, his face pale and drawn. "What's wrong, Renji?" asked Ichigo with a terrible sinking feeling. "Has something happened to Rukia?"

"Ichigo," said Renji with eyes that spoke of deep concern, "it's not Rukia. It's your sister, Yuzu. She's been seriously injured by a hollow. Your dad says they're not sure she's going to pull though."

******************************************

"Captain Kurosaki?" It was Michiko, Ichigo's vice-captain, arms full of various bits of training equipment which threatened to spill over onto the floor. Ichigo grabbed a handful of it just in time.

"Captain Kurosaki, the Captain-Commander has called a meeting of the Gottei 13 captains. You are expected in ten minutes in his chambers."

Ichigo sighed. It had been only a month since he, Byakuya and Rukia had returned from Hueco Mundo, and he had already been to half a dozen similar meetings. It was getting difficult to get anything done without finding himself summoned to yet another meeting he could have lived without. Still, it was Yamamoto's meeting, and he knew better than to aggravate the old geezer without good cause.

"Thanks, Michiko," said Ichigo, putting the equipment on his desk. "Why don't you ask Nakagawa and one of the other seats to help you run the drills. I probably won't be back for a few hours."

Michiko smiled knowingly, and hurried off to organize the morning training exercises without him. _"I'm lucky," he thought as he watched her leave, "most of the other vice-captains wouldn't be willing to do so much to help me out."_

Truth be told, though, Ichigo had worked hard over the past two years to create a cohesive division. The shinigami under his command highly respected him and, consequently, worked very hard to please him. They had become stronger because of him, and they knew it.

He arrived at the First Division right on time. "Ichigo," joked Hitsugaya Toshiro as Ichigo walked in the room, "I figured we'd be waiting for you for hours."

Ichigo smirked, "A man can change, Toshiro. You should try it, too. I'm sure Rangiku would appreciate it if you cooked dinner once in a while."

Hitsugaya's response went unheard as the Captains were escorted into Yamamoto's office. The casual banter ended abruptly as the Captain-Commander strode into the room to meet them.

"You have been called here," began Yamamoto, "because Ukitake Juushiro has decided to retire as Captain of the Thirteenth Squad effective immediately."

Always in poor health, Ukitake had for years been rumored to retire soon, so this pronouncement was not a great surprise to any of the captains. What was not clear, however, was why Ukitake had chosen this particular moment to make his exit.

Ukitake, for his part, stood with a polite smile on his face, unreadable. Ichigo would have to find out later what bit of Gotei 13 intrigue he had missed while he and Byakuya were in Hueco Mundo. Ichigo would not let Renji off the hook for not seeing this one coming.

"I have chosen a replacement for Captain Ukitake," continued the Captain-Commander, "in consultation with several of the Gotei captains. I have tested the candidate along with three other captains and found her to be satisfactory in all respects."

Yamamoto gestured to one of his aides, who escorted the new captain into the room. Rukia entered, wearing a Thirteenth Division haori. She held herself with poise, but Ichigo, who knew her well, could see the anxiety in her eyes. This clearly had been as big a surprise to her as it was to the rest of them.

"Kuchiki Rukia will assume the duties of Captain of the Thirteenth Division effective immediately," said Yamamoto, ignoring the surprised gasps of some of the other captains.

"_Things are going to get really interesting around here," thought Ichigo, as the edges of his mouth turned up in a smile._ He was looking forward to it.


	16. Flying Solo

Chapter Sixteen: Flying Solo

Rukia rolled out of bed the morning after she officially became Captain of the Thirteenth Division, having slept very little the night before. It had all happened so quickly. When she arrived at the Thirteenth to report for duty a week ago, Captain Ukitake had met her and introduced her to members of the Division who had joined during her prolonged absence.

It felt good to be back where she belonged. Still, it was a troubling homecoming. The years had not been kind to Ukitake. He looked paler and thinner than she had remembered him.

"Rukia-san," he said, "I'm glad you have returned safely." He had always referred to her as "Rukia-chan" before, and this change was not lost on her. Ukitake, and many other shinigami whom she had known before, seemed to view her in a different light since her return. She was unsure if it was her new, more mature body, her newfound powers, or something else that was the cause. Whatever the cause, it would take some getting used to.

"I'm glad to be back, Ukitake-taicho," she said with a slight bow.

"Someday, Rukia, I hope you will call me just Juushiro," he sighed, smiling at her and motioning for her to be seated in one of the chairs placed in front of his desk. She sat, anxious to receive her new assignment.

"Rukia," said Ukitake, his tone becoming serious, "I am getting weaker, sicklier." Before she could respond in protest, he put his hand up, silencing her. "Soon, I will no longer have the strength to adequately defend the Soul Society or lead the shinigami under my command," he continued.

"Before you left for Hueco Mundo, I had hoped to make you my vice-captain, and I had nearly convinced Byakuya to permit your promotion. After you left," he continued, "I swore that I would hold off as long as I could on appointing a vice-captain, hoping for your safe return. To this day, no one has taken Kaien's place by my side.

"Over the years though, my health has worsened. Your return to the Soul Society could not have come at a better time. I intend to recommend you to take over as captain of the Thirteenth Division."

Rukia had expected to hear him offer her the position of vice-captain. She had never expected him to tell her he was recommending her as his replacement.

"Captain Ukitake, sir, …Juushiro," she said, correcting herself, "I am honored that you'd recommend me for your command. I'm just not sure I'm ready for this."

"Rukia," said Ukitake, "you are ready, you just haven't realized it yet. In many respects, you've been ready for this for many years. Now, with your mastery of bankai, I have no doubt that you will pass the captain's examination without difficulty."

"I am honored, Juushiro," said Rukia, "that you have so much faith in me. I will do my best to be worthy of that faith."

Two days later, Rukia was releasing her bankai in a demonstration match against Hitsugaya Toshiro in front of Yamamoto, Soifon, and Shunsui Kyoraku. She found she could hold her own, comfortably, against the enormous power of Hyorinmaru, even in its bankai form. Rukia also found that she could match the power and skills of Hitsugaya without using her hollow transformation. She was thankful for this, since she was still unsure of what effect the hollow might have on her now that the Hogyoku had been destroyed.

Later that same day, Rukia found herself standing before Yamamoto, with Byakuya at her side. "Kuchiki Rukia, you have performed well on the captain's exam. I offer you the post of Captain of the Thirteenth Division," said the Captain-Commander.

Rukia glanced at Byakuya, unsure of how to respond.

"Kuchiki Rukia," said the Captain-Commander, apparently noticing her hesitation, "it is your choice alone."

For so many years, she had done all she could to earn the respect and love of Byakuya. She had gladly lived according to his rules and his code of honor. She had not complained when, despite her prowess as a shinigami, she was not promoted and others less skilled were promoted instead.

In return for her loyalty and patience, Byakuya had given her a true home and, in his own way, his love. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her brother. Still, something had begun to change within her since her return to the Soul Society. She had chosen to go to Las Noches, knowing that it would probably mean her death, and yet she had survived. Not only had she survived, she had grown strong. Rukia was finally ready to make a choice and to live with its consequences.

"I am honored, Captain-Commander. I accept." It was done. She had made her decision. In two days, she would officially take over command of the Thirteenth.

As she and Byakuya walked out of Yamamoto's office, she turned to face her brother and laid her hand gently on his shoulder. "Nii-sama," she said, "I hope you will forgive me someday."

"There is nothing to be forgiven, Rukia," said Byakuya, "and I am proud to call you my sister."

***************************************

Rukia's first morning at the Thirteenth Division went relatively smoothly. Third seats Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentarou, despite their antics, understood the day-to-day workings of the Division. Rukia had known both of them from the time she had first come to the Thirteenth as a brand-new recruit and was comfortable asking them for advice.

The morning had begun with Rukia addressing the entire squad at the Division's training grounds. Even though evaluations were due to be held in three months, Rukia told her troops that over the next several days she would observe them in demonstration matches to get an idea of their abilities. From there, Rukia planned on matching shinigami by their abilities for training purposes and developing training routines specific to those abilities.

This plan, however, did not go over as well as she had hoped. Walking back to the barracks, Rukia overheard plenty of grumbling from the unseated shinigami, not only about the new training program she intended them to follow, but also about her. Knowing the Division as well as she did, Rukia was not particularly offended by the comments. She was an unknown quantity. The shinigami of the Thirteenth neither knew about her as a person, nor did they know the true extent of her ability to fight. She would need to earn their respect.

It was nearing time for lunch when she heard a knock on the door to her office and looked up from a stack of paperwork to find Ichigo standing in front of her desk. He was carrying two bento boxes and smiling broadly.

"Damn. I didn't get you to jump that time, did I?" he joked. "So, Captain Kuchiki," he said, emphasizing the word "captain" for effect, "how's your first day on the job?"

"As expected," she said, gesturing to the piles of paperwork, "I've got fifty pieces of paper I need to sign to make the transition official, and my troops are already grumbling."

"You're loving it, aren't you?"

"Yes," she said, grinning. _"After all these years," she thought, "he still can see right through me."_

"So, how about some lunch, and then a little practice to keep you in shape?" said Ichigo, lifting the bento boxes. "How long has it been since someone like me has given you a run for your money?"

She laughed, "About a month or so, I think." Her memories of their fight in Hueco Mundo were still fuzzy, but as time went on, she was remembering more and more of the details. Her face fell as she realized what she had just said.

"Hey, what's with the face?" Ichigo said. "That wasn't you, Rukia. I know that." He smiled warmly at her.

His smile lifted her spirits_. "He smiles a lot more than he used to," she thought to herself. "He really seems happy."_

"So," he continued brightly, "can we eat this stuff before it's ice cold?"

Ichigo had gotten permission for them to train in the Seireitei arena. Used only for public events, it was the only space where they could train in the Seireitei which was not regularly occupied with shinigami polishing their fighting skills. The huge stadium was empty when they arrived, and they sat down in the stands to eat their lunches.

"Yamamoto made the right choice, you know," said Ichigo as they ate.

"Mmm?" said Rukia, her mouth full.

"He chose the right shinigami to fill Ukitake's position," he said. "I know you're worried about filling Ukitake's shoes, but you're going to be great, Rukia."

She blushed slightly, and kicked herself for doing so. How could he still make her do that? He could be so charming sometimes. She had forgotten.

"Thanks, Ichigo," she said simply.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Rukia asked, "Ichigo, are you happy here?"

"Yeah. I guess I am," he replied, grinning. "Took me long enough to figure it out, though."

***************************************

Ichigo was heading back to the Real World. The shock he had felt when he heard that Yuzu had been hurt was like a slap in the face. In his hurry to follow through on his decision to look for Rukia, he had totally forgotten that he had agreed to act as substitute shinigami the night before. It had taken the next nearest shinigami posted to the Real World some time to reach the location of the attacking hollow and, by then, Yuzu had already been injured.

"_Here I am, chasing around in circles, looking for something I lost years ago," he thought, miserably, "and I'm not where I'm supposed to be to protect the people I care about." _

Rather than going back to Urahara's, Ichigo asked that the senkai gate open directly on the Kurosaki Clinic. Because her injuries were not the physical kind, Isshin had decided it was better to keep Yuzu at the clinic instead of sending her to a hospital for treatment.

Ichigo, still in shinigami form, found Isshin outside of the room where Yuzu was being treated. "How is she?" he asked breathlessly.

"She's going to pull through," said Isshin, smiling wearily. "She was badly mauled by the hollow, but her soul chain was intact. I was worried that Orihime's power wouldn't be enough to heal her, but Orihime is much stronger than I realized."

"Can I go in?" asked Ichigo.

"Sure, just don't stay too long. She needs to rest."

Yuzu's eyes were closed when Ichigo sat down next to her bed. He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hey, kiddo," he said, "how are you?" He honestly wasn't sure if she would be able to see or hear him, although he knew she had some ability to sense spirits.

She squeezed his hand. "Thank goodness," he thought.

"Is that you, Nii-san?" she asked, opening her eyes and blinking as if to try to bring his face into focus. "You look funny. All shimmery."

"It's okay, Yuzu," said Ichigo, still holding her hand, "don't worry about it."

"Karin told me that you're a shinigami, you know," she said, smiling.

"Oh yeah," he said, lightly, "so my secret's out, huh?"

"I wouldn't tell anyone, Nii-san," she said, closing her eyes. She was asleep. Ichigo left the room, relieved that she was okay. He could never have forgiven himself if something had happened to her on his account.

Ichigo found his father, still in the hallway outside, leaning against the wall. "I know what you're thinking, Dad," said Ichigo.

"Do you?" came the response.

"You're thinking I let her down, that it's my fault she's laying in there."

"Actually, no," said Isshin, "that's not what I was thinking."

"So, are you going to tell me what, then?" said Ichigo, slightly irritated. Sometimes his father was exasperating to deal with.

"I was thinking that sometimes you have to make a choice between two things that are important to you, even though it's difficult to do. But, if you don't choose, you risk losing everything."

Ichigo looked down. Had he nearly lost his sister because he could not choose between his life in the Real World and the Soul Society? Isshin's words weighed heavily on Ichigo's heart.

That night, back in the same room in his father's house where he had first spoken to Rukia nearly five years ago, Ichigo lay in his old bed and stared out the window. The sky was cloudy, obscuring all but a few stars.

"_He's right," thought Ichigo, remembering Isshin's words, "I have to choose. I made a promise to live in the Real World for now, to finish college, and to protect my family and friends. I can't look for Rukia at the same time."_

He could never forget Rukia, and he would look for her, but it had to wait. At least for now.


	17. Soul's Homecoming

Chapter Seventeen: Soul's Homecoming

Their practice in the arena had started slowly. For several minutes, Ichigo and Rukia circled each other using shunpo, their zanpakutos held out in front of them, ready to attack.

"I'm getting dizzy going round and round in circles, Rukia," teased Ichigo, clearly enjoying himself. "When are you going to hit me with something?"

Her reply was a short burst of ice and light which shot from the end of her weapon. Ichigo dodged the attack, but it passed close enough to his cheek that he felt its coldness.

"Getsuga Tensho!" shouted Ichigo, launching a huge blast of energy from Zangetsu. Rukia held raised her arm and blocked his attack with her bare palm_. "He's not holding back," she thought, "good."_

Ichigo raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had seen very few opponents, shinigami or otherwise, who could deflect Getsuga Tensho with so little effort. He wondered what else she was capable of.

"Impressive," he said, laughing. He hadn't had this much fun in years.

Rukia spun on her toes, lifting Sode no Shirayuki over her head and pointing the weapon straight up towards the sky. A cloud of crystals gathered around the sword, spinning and shimmering in mid-air. She focused her eyes on the place where she wanted her attack to hit and swung the blade down so it pointed towards Ichigo. The crystals, now concentrated in a powerful stream, flew directly at Ichigo with incredible speed.

In his shikai form, Ichigo was too slow to dodge her attack. Instead, he built a wall of reiatsu around his body and deflected it. The crystals hit the ground behind him with a loud crash. When the dust cleared, there was a four-foot deep hole in the stadium floor.

And so it went, back and forth, alternating attacks of varying strength. At one point, Ichigo swung Zangetsu from the cloth attached to its hilt, sending showers of bright blue bolts of energy towards Rukia. She, in turn, shot off bursts of ice crystals which covered the energy bolts and shattered them into a thousand pieces. Neither Ichigo nor Rukia had even broken a sweat.

"Enough with shikai, Ichigo," shouted Rukia from across the field, "time for your bankai!"

And with that, Rukia whispered, "Bankai." Ice crystals enveloped her body, dancing on her skin, her hair and her clothing. The crystals appeared to melt into her, and she soon wore the pure white hakama Ichigo had seen in Hueco Mundo. As before, Rukia now held two weapons, her zanpakuto and a silver dagger. Her hair was silvery white. The only difference between this bankai form and the form Ichigo had seen before in Hueco Mundo was the lack of hollow mask and armor.

"_Interesting," thought Ichigo, "so she can achieve bankai without her hollow." _He had wondered how much of her powers were dependent upon her hollowfication. Clearly not as much as he had originally thought.

"Okay," Ichigo said, grinning, "you asked for it. Bankai!"

In their bankai forms, Ichigo and Rukia fought fiercely. Her broad attacks were a good counterpart to the fast, more focused reiatsu of his bankai. Although Ichigo was able to dodge the showers of ice-particles, Rukia's attacks nearly matched his speed, and she never missed him by more than a few millimeters. The arena was starting to look more like a giant mine pit, its once smooth surface now pockmarked with so many deep gouges.

They were so focused on the fight at hand, that neither Ichigo nor Rukia noticed the stadium was no longer empty. Having undoubtedly heard the loud crashes and explosions issuing from the arena, shinigami from all over the Seireitei had come to see what was creating all the noise. Realizing what they were witnessing, the shinigami had stayed to watch.

"We can do this forever, Rukia," shouted Ichigo, after her last attack landed behind him. "Time to up the ante." He put his hand to his face and, as he withdrew it, the mask of his hollow formed.

Rukia froze. _"She's afraid," he thought, "of what releasing her hollow will do to her."_

"Rukia," said Ichigo, his voice distorted now from the hollow release, "I know why you're hesitating. But you need to understand it, to release it, to make your peace with it. It won't be the same this time. You won't hurt me."

"_He's right. I need to know," thought Rukia, "I __have__ to know." _

Rukia gritted her teeth, concentrating on the hollow inside of her and calling it forth. Her eyes glowed reddish-violet as shimmering particles coalesced into a solid white mask and armor that covered her face and her left arm. It felt like a thin layer of ice against her skin, but she also felt an incredible warmth pulse through her veins. It felt good. Better than good. It felt incredible. Rukia had been starving for this power ever since she had returned to the Soul Society.

And then, for just a moment, Rukia felt a stab of fear. Would the hollow being which had so thoroughly dominated her consciousness in Hueco Mundo return? Would she again lose her sense of self? But it did not return, and she found herself in control of the power as she had never been before.

"Better watch it, Ichigo," she yelled, her smile just visible now at the bottom of the mask, "or I'm going to wipe that hollow grin off your face!" She let loose a blast of icy crystals which spun around her zanpakuto and flew in a hundred different directions, aiming to converge on the spot where Ichigo stood.

At the same time she released her attack, Ichigo shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!" A powerful black blast the size of half the stadium flew at the hail of crystals. The two attacks met each other at a point halfway between the two fighters, and the explosion that resulted rocked the entire area. Dirt and rocks flew in all directions and the echo of the energy contained in the attacks crackled in the sky above the area.

As the dust and debris cleared, Ichigo and Rukia sat at opposite ends of the now completely destroyed field, masks gone. They were covered with dirt, but unharmed. They stood up and began to walk towards each other, laughing. By the time they met in the center of the field, the air had completely cleared.

"I think we're going to need to find another place to train," said Ichigo, looking around at the stadium, "the Captain-Commander is going to kill me."

It was then that they heard a tremendous noise coming from the stadium stands. Hundreds of shinigami, applauding them. The two of them laughed harder.

"You were always a showoff, Kurosaki," said Rukia, still laughing.

"Yeah," said Ichigo, "but only when you were around to watch me."

***************************************

The years had passed quickly, and before Ichigo knew it, he and Uryuu were graduating from college. Uryuu had already been accepted into medical school. This seemed to please Uryuu's father, who attended the graduation ceremony and actually shook Uryuu's hand. For Ryuuken, this was the equivalent of a show of deep affection.

Ichigo had not spoken to his father about his plans after graduation. In fact, Ichigo had avoided the subject whenever Isshin had brought it up. It wasn't that Ichigo was unsure of what to do, he knew what he wanted. But Ichigo worried about Isshin's reaction. Now, the graduation ceremony was over, and Isshin had taken Ichigo and his sisters out for dinner to celebrate. Ichigo knew he couldn't ignore his father's questions any longer.

"So, Ichigo," said Isshin, after they had all finished their meal, "when are you leaving?"

"Leaving?" said Ichigo, dumbfounded.

"Leaving for the Soul Society," replied Isshin, flashing Ichigo a knowing grin. "Shuhei Hisagi says he's tapped you for his old spot as vice-captain of the Ninth Division. Says he's been waiting for you ever since he was promoted to captain."

Ichigo was speechless. How had Isshin known?

"Son, did you think I'd object?" asked Isshin, laughing. "I've known for years that you would go back there as soon as you finished school. It's been written all over your face since Yuzu was attacked by that hollow."

"Are you going to come visit us, Nii-san?" asked Yuzu seriously.

"Of course he is," said Karin. "You are going to visit us, aren't you Ichi-Nii?" Karin would beat Ichigo up if he didn't visit, he was sure of it.

"Yeah, of course," said Ichigo, just now getting over the shock of his father's casual acceptance of Ichigo's decision to live in the Soul Society. "Of course I will." He smiled at his sisters.

Two weeks later, Ichigo had packed all his belongings and put them into storage at the clinic. He wouldn't be needing them any more. Isshin suggested that, as long as Ichigo was in the Soul Society, Kon could inhabit Ichigo's body. Kon could live at the Kurosaki's and help Isshin at the clinic under two conditions: that he behave himself around Yuzu and Karin; and that he vacate Ichigo's body whenever Ichigo came back to Karakura and needed it.

It had been more than two years since Ichigo had even spent the night in the Soul Society, but this felt like a homecoming. Ichigo would assume his duties almost immediately after arriving, since Shuhei had gotten approval from the Captain-Commander exempting Ichigo from attending the Shinigami Academy. There had been little objection on this front, since Ichigo's contributions to the safety and well-being of the Soul Society, both before and during the war, were known to just about everyone in the Seireitei.

Renji, having heard the news that Ichigo would be arriving, met him at the senkai gate. "Couldn't stay away, Kurosaki," he said with his usual swagger, "looking for more punishment, huh?"

"Nah, just thought you needed me to keep your lazy ass in shape," said Ichigo, grinning. He had missed Renji, as always, though he'd never admit it out loud.

They walked together towards the Ninth Division barracks. "We're having drinks tonight in the Rukongai," said Renji, as he left Ichigo at the entrance, "see you there?"

"Yeah," answered Ichigo, eager to catch up, "I'll be there." It would be the first of many nights hanging out with Renji in the Rukongai.

************************************

Ichigo had decided when he first came to live in the Seireitei that he would not allow himself to get drunk regularly. Past experience had taught him that getting drunk hardly ever worked to his advantage, and usually made his life far worse. Now, nearly two years after he had become a vice-captain, Ichigo still went with Renji to their favorite Rukongai bar to have a few drinks and watch Renji drink himself onto the floor.

"You know," said Renji one night, after downing so many drinks that Ichigo had lost count, "it really pisses me off. The Captain-Commander finally tells all the captains that he ordered Rukia to go to Las Noches, but there are still rumors among the enlisted men that she betrayed the Soul Society."

Ichigo, having promised himself not to let his obsession with finding Rukia interfere with his duties at the Ninth Division, had not pushed the issue up until now. He had been patient for two years, though, and that patience was starting to wear thin.

Willing himself to approach the issue with caution, Ichigo asked, "So people still think she's alive?" He was almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Right," said Renji, "at least Byakuya seems to. I've caught him talking to Yamamoto a few times when he thought I wasn't listening. Something about Kurotsuchi working on a gate."

Ichigo felt relieved to hear that Byakuya still believed Rukia was alive. Ichigo had never really doubted it. He had continued to have strange dreams about Rukia from time to time, all involving the mysterious woman in the blood red dress. He had come to believe that these dreams were the result of some connection he had to Rukia and, despite the disturbing nature of the dreams, they were strangely comforting.

"A gate to Hueco Mundo?" asked Ichigo, his heart beating faster. The knowledge that Byakuya might find a way to reach Rukia, that he could search for her in Las Noches, revived Ichigo's long-dormant hope of seeing Rukia again.

"Mmm," said Renji, nodding his head as he swallowed another cup of sake.

Ichigo stood up abruptly. "I'm going to see Kuchiki," he said and, before Renji had time to say anything, Ichigo strode out the door.

It took only a few minutes for Ichigo, using shunpo, to return to the Seireitei and arrive at the gate of the Kuchiki manor house.

"_I have to stay calm," he thought to himself, as he entered the grounds of the huge house, "in control."_ Ichigo knew it would do him no good to go barging in and demanding that Byakuya tell him everything. He had tried that before.

"I would like to see Captain Kuchiki," he said calmly and firmly to the servant who answered the door. "I am Vice-Captain Kurosaki of the Ninth Division. Please tell him it's very important."

Asking him to wait, the servant disappeared into the house. Ichigo had no idea what he would do if Byakuya refused to see him. He needn't have been concerned. Several minutes later, the servant returned to the door and said, "Captain Kuchiki will see you in his study." Ichigo followed the servant inside.

Despite his having been back in the Seireitei for several years, Ichigo had had very little contact with Byakuya since his return. For the most part, the Gotei 13 divisions kept to themselves, only occasionally teaming up to handle a particularly large influx of hollows into the Soul Society, or, from time to time, for demonstration matches. Byakuya, apparently, did not feel the need to compete against other divisions in swordplay, so Ichigo rarely saw members of the Sixth Division except over drinks in the Rukongai.

Ichigo was led into a large room, filled from ceiling to floor with books, photographs, and various old trinkets that Ichigo assumed must have been passed down over many years by the Kuchiki clan. Byakuya sat, not at the desk in the corner of the room, but at a chair facing a small iron fireplace in the center of the room. As Ichigo entered, Byakuya stood up and motioned Ichigo to another seat neat the fire. Trying hard not to betray his surprise at Byakuya's apparent lack of animosity towards him, Ichigo nodded, and sat down.

Byakuya spoke first, "Vice-Captain Kurosaki, what brings you to see me?"

Ichigo swallowed hard. "Keep your head cool, Kurosaki," he thought, taking his time to choose his words, "Remember that he's a man, just like you, and he cares about what happens to her."

"Captain Kuchiki, sir," began Ichigo, "I appreciate your taking the time to speak with me on such short notice."

Byakuya nodded stiffly.

"I would like first, sir, to apologize for my behavior the last time we spoke," said Ichigo, fighting the urge to add something to the effect that Byakuya had deserved every bit of the tongue-lashing Ichigo had given him four years ago.

A hint of curiosity flashed on Byakuya's face, and he shifted his body slightly away from the fire so he faced Ichigo. Ichigo's apology had clearly achieved the intended effect. Pleased with his progress, Ichigo continued.

"Captain Kuchiki," said Ichigo, deciding that it was best to be honest, "your sister means a great deal to me."

Byakuya said nothing, but continued to look at Ichigo intently.

"I believe Rukia is still alive. I feel it. I've come to ask for your help in finding her and bringing her back." Ichigo felt exposed, vulnerable, like a child on the first day of school. Still, his face did not betray his insecurity, only his resolve and his calm strength.

"I see," said Byakuya, after some time. "Is that all?"

"Yes, sir," said Ichigo, again fighting the voice inside him telling him to grab the ever-stoic Byakuya and shake him hard until he blinked.

"Thank you, Vice-Captain," said Byakuya, turning back to face the fire again.

"Dammit," thought Ichigo, "he's dismissing me again." Still, Ichigo forced himself to remain in control. He rose from his chair, bowing to Byakuya, and started to walk out of the room.

"Kurotsuchi has been unable to open a gate to Hueco Mundo," said Byakuya, as Ichigo reached the doorway to the study. "I have asked Urahara for his assistance. He has agreed to look into the problem."

Ichigo stopped and turned to face Byakuya, doing his best not to let his face register shock at Byakuya's apparent change of attitude. The two men looked at each other in silence for several minutes.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," said Byakuya, at last, "I also care very much about her."

And, from that day forward, Byakuya and Ichigo began to work together on a strategy to bring Rukia back from Hueco Mundo.


	18. Full Circle

Chapter Eighteen: Full Circle

Ichigo had been promoted to Captain of the Fifth Division a year later. Nearly one more year passed before Urahara, with Kurotsuchi's help, found a way to create a gate between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. Urahara believed the gate would be ready within the year, and Ichigo and Byakuya began to plan Rukia's rescue. The waiting was torture for Ichigo.

Despite their progress, something still weighed heavily on Ichigo, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he just could not shake. He had come to believe that Aizen had specifically been targeting Rukia, and that her hollow transformation had been no accident. He had no proof of this, of course. It was just a feeling.

Ichigo and Byakuya had developed an uncomfortable friendship, of sorts. They trained regularly, and Ichigo's mastery of Zangetsu continued to improve. He could now hold his hollow transformation for long periods of time, almost indefinitely, as long as he was uninjured.

Byakuya taught Ichigo to maintain his focus while fighting, and Ichigo's skills became more consistent. He was able to more effectively direct his powerful reiatsu into his zanpakuto and his attacks became more efficient. Ichigo also learned how to control his reiatsu, and how to shield it from others when he needed to.

"I still don't understand it," said Ichigo to Byakuya, not long after Urahara's breakthrough, "Aizen could have easily killed me when I was in Las Noches."

Ichigo and Byakuya were sparring at the Sixth Division's training grounds. Byakuya, stoic as ever, barely raised an eyebrow. He tolerated Ichigo and had developed something akin to respect for him, but it irritated Byakuya that Ichigo insisted on revisiting this subject, again and again.

"Gōkei," was Byakuya's response. A cloud of petal-like blades swirled around Ichigo, and quickly moved in to coalesce in the place Ichigo stood.

"Eh, Kuchiki," said Ichigo, after the air had cleared, "you trying to finish the job for Aizen?" He had released his hollow to shield himself from the powerful attack."

"You talk too much," said Byakuya, unfazed.

"Why would Aizen send Gin to fight me instead, and then try to cut me down from behind while I was fighting?"

"You also think too much, Kurosaki," came the reply. Byakuya had heard Ichigo speculate at length about the day Aizen had nearly killed Rukia for several years now. "You would be better served to improve your skills so that you will be able to defeat Aizen Sousuke."

"_He's probably right," thought Ichigo to himself, wondering if age and responsibility had dulled his sense of adventure, "I didn't think twice about it then. Why should it matter now?"_

"Getsuga Tensho!" shouted Ichigo, and this time, it was Byakuya who was forced to counter the attack.

"_He has gotten faster, stronger. He is no longer a boy." thought Byakuya, studying Ichigo intently from behind his impassive face, "Rukia has chosen well."_ Even so, Byakuya would never have considered sharing such thoughts with Ichigo. It was simply not proper to do so.

Not long after, the gate finally complete, Ichigo and Byakuya had arrived in Hueco Mundo, and Ichigo found himself running down that long corridor in Las Noches, trying to find Rukia. Now, sitting at his desk and thinking about the events of just over a month ago, it seemed like an eternity had passed.

He wasn't getting anything done. Their sparring match had been almost as satisfying as any physical contact with her. He couldn't stop thinking about it, and he hadn't done anything remotely resembling work since he had returned from the arena this afternoon. She had that effect on him.

Ichigo put down his pen and turned his chair around, leaning the back against the desk. He stared out the window, watching the stars appear as night fell. "You've waited ten years for her," he said to himself, "you can wait a little while longer."

****************************

Rukia arrived back at the Thirteenth Division after her workout with Ichigo at the arena exhilarated, but in need of a shower. Word had spread quickly of the sparring match between the Captain of the Thirteenth and the Captain of the Fifth. Heading back to her office sporting a clean haori and uniform, Rukia overheard snippets of hushed conversation.

"If it had been a real fight," said one of the newer recruits, "she would have totally kicked his ass!"

"Makes me a little nervous, you know, having her watch us fight," said another, "I mean, she could probably crush us just by looking at us."

Rukia smiled as she walked into her office and sat down at her desk. It was unlikely any of her troops would again question her ability to fight on par with the other Gotei 13 captains. This unexpected development also meant that her new training regime would probably meet with much less resistance than she had originally anticipated.

"Damn you, Ichigo," she said to herself, smiling. "You've rescued me yet again."

It was dark when Rukia finally finished all the paperwork which had been waiting for her when she returned from the arena. She was hungry, and her stomach grumbled loudly in protest.

"I'm going to get some dinner, Kiyone," she called, as she headed out into the evening air, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Captain Kuchiki," came the reply. Captain. Rukia had to admit to herself that she was starting to really like the sound of it.

Feeling particularly confident after her sparring match with Ichigo, she headed for the Division Five barracks. "_Why not," she thought, "he has to eat, too."_

Ichigo was sitting at his desk, back to the door and gazing out the window as Rukia walked into the open office. "You're supposed to be facing the desk, Ichigo," she said as he spun around, "I doubt those papers are going to sign themselves."

He grinned, "So you're trying to get back at me for all those times I snuck up on you, eh?" It was one of those moments, thought Rukia, that made her feel as though she was back in Karakura Town, looking at a sixteen year-old Ichigo. The old mischievous twinkle still shone in his eyes.

"Of course," she answered, "I'm entitled to have some fun, too, aren't I?"

"I suppose," Ichigo said, smirking. He was thinking that it was starting to feel very warm in the room. _"Down, boy," he thought._

"I thought you might like to join me for dinner," she said, finding herself staring at his chest and wondering how it would feel to run her hands over his bare skin. Kicking herself for letting him have that effect on her and forcing her eyes back to his face, she said, "Sushi?"

"Would you be surprised if I told you I've actually developed a taste for the stuff?" said Ichigo with a familiar grin.

"I suppose I'll just have to see for myself," she said, and with that, he stood up and followed her outside.

They ate at a tiny restaurant in the Seireitei. Ichigo wolfed down five hand rolls in as many minutes, washing them down with sake.

"I'm impressed," said Rukia, "you really have changed, haven't you Ichigo?" He laughed. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing. She would have to find out.

They talked about the easy things. Ichigo told her that Orihime and Uryuu had gotten married around the time he made captain, and that they now had two small children. Kon was masquerading as Ichigo, and had been working with Isshin at the clinic. He was, for the most part, well-behaved. Yuzu and Karin were in college, but Karin was trying to convince Isshin to let her attend the Shinigami Academy. No word yet on whether Isshin had given in yet, but Ichigo suspected Karin would get her way eventually. It was a comfortable, relaxing evening.

"Can I walk you home?" he asked, as they got up from their table. She nodded. The Thirteenth Division was about ten minutes from the restaurant, and they walked slowly, neither wishing for the evening to end quite so soon.

The barracks were quiet, most of the troops having already turned in for the night, apparently wanting to get a head start on their last day of practice before their demonstration matches. Ichigo and Rukia sat down on a bench in the garden. Neither said anything, but it was not an uncomfortable silence.

"What a beautiful night," said Rukia, after some time, looking up at the stars.

"Mmm," he said, in agreement, "beautiful." She didn't notice that he wasn't paying any attention to the stars.


	19. Ghosts

Chapter Nineteen: Ghosts

When Rukia arrived at the Thirteenth Division in the morning, Kiyone and Sentarou were busy preparing a schedule for the next day's demonstration matches. Rukia found a number of shinigami in the courtyard behind the barracks, practicing kido and footwork.

"Captain Kuchiki," said Sentarou, as Rukia sat down at her desk, "we need to assign someone to additional patrol today in the Rukongai, 78th District. We've been getting reports of increased hollow activity in that area."

One of the Thirteenth Division's traditional responsibilities was patrolling the Rukongai, and Rukia herself had gone on a number of these patrols when she first came to the Division as a new recruit. Generally, only one shinigami was assigned to the patrol, but, on occasion, additional shinigami were dispatched to particularly vulnerable areas.

Rukia thought for a moment, and then responded, "I'll go."

"Captain?" Sentarou was clearly surprised. This was not a choice assignment.

"I grew up there, Sentarou," said Rukia, smiling, "it's been a long time since I've been back. I'll return around dark, if you need me to look over the lists for tomorrow's demonstrations."

"Yes, sir," responded Sentarou, still clearly surprised at Rukia's interest in such a mundane assignment.

It was mid-morning when Rukia arrived at the gate that connected the Seireitei to the Rukongai. Knowing the local population's dislike of shinigami in general, and especially of the higher ranked officers, she had left her haori in her office. An anonymous shinigami would be able to more easily move around the crowded district.

"Kuchiki-Rukia," came the booming voice of Jidanbo as she walked through the gate, "is that you?"

"Jidanbo!" Rukia said, looking up at the towering shinigami who guarded the gate. "How are you?"

"Same as always," he replied, his smile nearly as big as he was, "I heard you made captain. Is that true?"

Rukia nodded.

"What are you doing here, Rukia-taicho?" he asked.

"I needed to get out of the office," she said brightly. "I thought I'd take the patrol in Hanging Dog today. Don't tell anyone, though. I don't want any trouble." The local gangs that ran the Rukongai were notorious for stirring up trouble with the shinigami. Although Rukia wasn't particularly worried about having to fight them, she preferred a low-key approach.

"Okay, Rukia-san," boomed Jidanbo, and he waived to her as she left down one of the dirt streets. "Your secret is safe with me!"

If felt strange to be back in her old neighborhood after so long. Life for her in this place had been anything but easy. Her only family had been Renji and a group of ragtag children who usually had little to eat, and slept in an abandoned warehouse near the waterfront. For her and for Renji, the Shinigami Academy had provided a way out of this place. The others had not been so fortunate.

After a short walk, Rukia came to the central market area. Most everyone gave her a wide berth. She bought an apple and a few other items from one of the street vendors, who looked at her with a mix of distrust and resignation.

"Some things don't change, I guess," Rukia thought sadly. She had always found it hard to reconcile the difficult life here in the Rukongai with her belief that the souls she sent to the Soul Society were better off than in the Real World. Things just weren't that simple.

She turned to head out of the market, when she was distracted by a commotion behind her.

"No, stop!" cried a woman from the edge of the market square. "Give me back my bag!"

Rukia glanced over in the direction of the woman's voice and saw two men, street thugs she guessed, running quickly onto one of the side streets. Using shunpo, she quickly caught up with the men, landing squarely in front of them as they ran.

"Stinking shinigami," growled one of the men, pulling a knife and threatening her with it. "Get lost, bitch!"

"I would be happy to, after you give me the bag you're holding," she said, coolly.

"I don't think so, sweetie," said the other man, holding what looked like a wooden bat in his hand. He was trying to maneuver to a spot behind her.

"I don't want to hurt you," she said, standing her ground. "If you give me the bag you took, I will leave you be."

"Can't do that, shinigami lady," said the first man, and he lunged at her with the knife.

Rukia grabbed the first man's wrist and, twisting it easily, gave him a sharp knee to the stomach. The other man approached her from behind, trying to wrap his hands around her neck. She spun around and kicked him hard in the side, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground.

"Bakudo number four, Hainawa!" yelled Rukia, and both men were bound by invisible ropes, unable to move.

Rukia picked up the stolen bag, which had fallen onto the dusty street, and turned to face the two men. "If you are apprehended stealing again," she said, "I will see to it that the town council is alerted and you are properly punished." She doubted this threat would cause either of them great concern, but it was worth a try. Truth was, street gangs were rampant in this area of the Rukongai, and there was little anyone in the Seireitei cared to do about it.

"You'll regret this, shinigami," yelled one of the men as she walked away, "our boss won't put up with any interference from the stinking Seireitei."

Catching up with the woman to whom the bag belonged, Rukia smiled and handed it back to her. The woman, middle-aged and thin, was elated.

"I can't thank you enough," she gushed, nearly in tears, "nearly all of yesterday's receipts from our noodle shop are in that bag. Without it, I couldn't purchase the ingredients I need to cook for today's customers."

"You're very welcome," said Rukia, slightly uncomfortable, "I am glad I could be of assistance."

As Rukia turned to leave, the woman called after her, "Please come by our restaurant anytime, Miss, we would be honored to make you our best udon! It's the Kira Noodle Shop, just a few blocks from here."

"Thank you," called Rukia, heading off the square to one of the side streets.

Rukia wandered the streets for several hours after leaving the market. Sensing no unusual reiatsus in the area, she headed over to the waterfront where she had played as a child. The water sparkled in the sunshine, and it reminded her of Ichigo's favorite spot in Karakura Town.

Distracted by the beauty of the water, Rukia tripped over a large rock, nearly falling over in the process. She looked down. The large stone at her feet was a makeshift gravestone, with a name crudely scratched into it. A name she remembered well. Without realizing it, she found herself at the place where she and Renji had buried so many of their childhood friends.

It was a beautiful spot, although it looked nothing like a true graveyard. It was just a mound of grass on the bank of the river with a few rough stones marking the graves. Rukia sat down on the grass, a growing sadness in her heart as she gazed past the stones to the river.

"Friends of yours?" His voice was soft, as if he were trying not to startle her.

"Ichigo?! What are you doing here?" said Rukia. His presence in this place was totally unexpected, almost uncomfortable.

"I went by your office, and they told me you were in the Rukongai. I just thought I'd see what you were up to," he lied.

"You were checking up on me, weren't you?" Rukia was irritated now. She had had enough of the men in her life treating her like she was a child in need of close supervision. What was it with men, anyhow, that they felt so compelled to protect her? Did she appear that weak? She had survived this place without anyone's help.

"I'm perfectly capable of looking out for myself, Ichigo," she said shortly.

Ichigo hadn't expected this reaction. She was right, of course. He had been checking up on her. _"I'm an idiot," he thought, looking at the expression on her face, "I said I was going to give her time, give her space…"_

Rukia stood up, walked up to Ichigo, and kicked him hard in the shin.

"Ow!" he yelled.

"You deserve worse than that, Kurosaki," she said, still scowling. "When are you going to realize that I don't need you to rescue me all the time?"

"_Great," Ichigo thought to himself, no retort coming to mind, "now I've really ruined things."_

She had every reason to be angry with him. He was treating her like some fragile doll that might break if mishandled. "You're right, Rukia," he said, looking directly at her, clearly contrite, "I'm sorry."

"Pathetic," she said, still irritated. Still, she found it hard to stay angry with him, especially when she looked into his eyes. _"He really means well, worrying is just instinctive for him."_

"Apology accepted," Rukia said, a short time later, her face softening a little. She glanced back at the handmade headstones, and then back at Ichigo again, trying to decide how much she wanted to tell him. After a minute or so, she said, in a tone that betrayed no emotion, "They were our friends, mine and Renji's. They were children. We were family." Then, in a voice almost wistful, she said, "It was…difficult living here."

Ichigo studied her face. She had never talked about her life in the Rukongai before. He wanted to ask her about growing up here, about how she had survived when the others had not, but he stopped himself. _"She'll tell me when she's ready," he thought, "it's enough that she said as much as she did."_ He knew she wasn't looking for his pity, so he said nothing.

They sat in silence for what seemed like a very long time, after which Rukia stood up. "It's getting late. Time for the next patrol to take over, and I need to get back to the barracks. Care to walk back to the gate with me?"

"Sure," said Ichigo.

"There's one thing I need to do before we leave," she said, as they walked away from the river.

Rukia led Ichigo to an old building, about six blocks away from the water. It looked like a run-down warehouse of sorts. As they entered the decrepit structure, Ichigo saw evidence that people lived here - a few blankets thrown carelessly on the floor, empty candy wrappers, a few pieces of paper.

Once inside, Rukia said nothing. Instead, she drew a few small bags from one of her pockets, and laid them down on the dirt floor. Then she took a small handkerchief from another pocket, opened it up and laid it down, as well. She emptied the contents of the bags onto the cloth: candy; a few small toys; some fruit. It looked like a small picnic.

Thinking that her unusual behavior warranted some explanation, she said, "This was my home until I went to the Academy. There are children who still live in this place. They're probably hungry." She had known hunger here.

The old protective urge kicked in, and Ichigo found himself wanting to hold her, to tell her that she'd never have to live like this again, that he would be there for her, as long as she wanted him, as long as she needed him. But he held back, afraid that she would think he was patronizing her, treating her like a child again.

Rukia, for her part, was surprised that she had been compelled to share this part of her life with Ichigo. Ten years ago, she would not have done the same. He had changed, though. She thought he could understand now what it meant to her to be back in this place, that he might understand the mixed up jumble of emotions the Rukongai evoked in her.

"We should go," said Rukia, catching herself.

A few minutes later, they were heading back along the river and into the center of the district. As they rounded the corner onto the now deserted market square, Rukia felt a cold chill that had nothing to do with the rapidly setting sun.

"We've got company," said Rukia, turning to Ichigo, "some recent acquaintances." She smiled impishly, "It didn't go so well for them."


	20. Convergence

Chapter Twenty: Convergence

From nearly every entrance to the market square, men and women had appeared. Ichigo knew from the way they held themselves that they were probably local gang members. He had fought their type in Karakura Town when he was a teenager, and over the last few years, he'd joined Renji in a few friendly fights with some of the locals in front of their favorite Rukongai bar. Ichigo guessed there were at least twenty of them.

"Rukia, I can take it from here, why don't you…"

"Don't even think about it, Kurosaki," said Rukia, cutting him off. She could see it in his face. He was going to tell her to leave, that he would handle it. "This is my fight. I'm the one they're interested in, not you. If you want to join me, that's fine. Otherwise, you can leave."

She was right, again. "Okay," he said, smiling at her, "you're on." Rukia glared at him briefly, and then, in spite of herself, smiled back. They would fight together.

The fight lasted all of about five minutes. Rukia, using kido, subdued nearly half of the gang members in short order, the remaining gang members either too quick or too savvy to fall victim to her binding spells. A few of them sported weapons that appeared to channel their spirit energy, along the lines of crude zanpakutos. Working together, Rukia and Ichigo were able to force the remaining fighters into the center of the square.

Aiming her zanpakuto at a group of five nearby fighters, Rukia said, "Some no mai, Tsukishiro." The ground around her froze and glittered with ice. A circular wall of ice rose from where the five men stood, encasing them in ice and immobilizing them.

At the same time Ichigo, drawing Zangetsu, spun the powerful blade on its cloth like a flail. It swung around in the air, releasing a cloud of bluish white light, hitting the remaining street fighters and knocking them unconscious.

"Nice move," said Rukia.

"Your brother helped me with that one," he replied, noting the look of surprise on her face as he said it.

"Nii-san?"

"When he pulls his head out of his ass," drawled Ichigo, smirking, "Byakuya's a pretty good sparring partner."

Rukia looked at Ichigo with newfound respect. Byakuya almost never trained with other shinigami.

"Are we just going to leave these guys here?" asked Ichigo, after a beat.

Rukia shrugged. "There's really nothing we can do with them, anyhow."

It was dark when Rukia and Ichigo said goodnight to Jidanbo and left the Rukongai to return to the Seireitei. They walked, side by side, though the quiet Seireitei streets.

From time to time, Ichigo caught himself watching Rukia's dark hair blowing in the slight evening breeze. She had left it long after her return from Hueco Mundo, and wisps of black ran clung to her neck and trailed down her back. He found himself imagining running his hands through the silky strands, feeling the soft skin of her neck.

"How about some tea at my place?" asked Ichigo. The words tumbled out of his mouth on their own, unbidden. _"What the hell are you doing, Kurosaki?" he asked himself._

"Sure," answered Rukia, oblivious to Ichigo's inner turmoil. Kiyone could handle the preparations for tomorrow's demonstration matches without her.

The Division Five captain's quarters were a small house, attached to the barracks by a breezeway. The building was surrounded by a fenced garden area which was lit with small lanterns that glowed yellow and swung lazily when the wind blew.

"I'll go make the tea – why don't you have a seat in the garden and I'll meet you out there in a few minutes," said Ichigo. He had barely looked at her since they walked through the door. She had looked so beautiful in the dim light of the entryway, he had to fight the urge to kiss her right then and there.

Rukia walked out a sliding doorway to the rock garden. The moon was full and bright, casting shadows in waves upon the stones. She sat down on a bench and pulled her knees up to her chest, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.

She just couldn't read him. One minute, she could feel the sexual electricity between the two of them, and then, the next minute, he would barely acknowledge her presence. He asked her here, to a place he now called home, an intimate and private place, and yet he had stood several feet away from her since they walked through the door.

He had said he loved her once, but that was ten years ago. _"Maybe that's changed, too," thought Rukia, thinking about how much Ichigo had changed as she pulled her knees closer to her and closed her eyes, "feelings can change over time."_ And yet Ichigo had come looking for her in the Rukongai, concerned for her safety. While the thought still irritated her, she also took some pleasure in it.

Rukia remembered Ichigo's words when she had thanked him for bringing her home from Hueco Mundo, "I'd have done the same for any other friend." Maybe that's really all they would ever be. Friends.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding back. That there was something he had wanted to tell her that he just couldn't bring himself to say. The way he had looked at her when she told him about her life in the Rukongai. Something in his eyes when they had left the decaying old building where she had lived as a child.

"Here you go," said Ichigo, emerging from the house with two large cups of steaming tea and handing her one. He sat down, not beside her, but on another bench that faced the one where she sat.

"Thanks," she said, looking at the tea, trying hard to fight the rising urge she felt to throw the cup at him. He was so calm, so in control, so…frustrating.

Rukia missed the old Ichigo. The Ichigo who would throw caution to the wind in a heartbeat. The Ichigo who ran into a fight without thinking about the consequences. The Ichigo who had, ten years ago, taken her into her arms and kissed her in front of the clinic. The Ichigo who had told her he loved her.

"Kiyone tells me you're holding demonstration matches tomorrow," he said, looking at his cup.

"Uh-huh," she said, taking a sip of the tea and trying to stay calm. He wouldn't even look at her now. It was infuriating.

"I think it's a great idea, Rukia," said Ichigo, still looking at his cup. It was the truth, but it was not what he really he had wanted to say. There were so many things he really wanted to say.

She was silent.

"Have you decided on someone to fill the vice-captain spot yet?" he asked, wondering how long he could keep the conversation focused on work. He was having a hard time concentrating.

"No, not yet," she replied, willing herself to look up at the moon so she wouldn't have to look at him. She felt the heat rise in her face as her frustration at the idle conversation grew. Was he trying to make her angry? Was he really that calm, that cool?

"There's a kid in my squad that you might want to consider looking at," said Ichigo. _Inwardly, he thought, "What are you afraid of, Kurosaki? Why are you waiting? Haven't you waited enough already?"_

In spite of himself, he said, "He's talented, and his got a pretty impressive…"

"I don't want to hear about some kid in your squad, Ichigo." Rukia stood up abruptly and her tea fell onto the stones, breaking into pieces as it hit the ground.

Ichigo looked startled. What had he done this time? He thought he had been behaving himself, not being overly protective of her. He was only offering advice, between colleagues.

Rukia's face was flushed, angry. "I don't understand you, Ichigo," she shouted at him, her repressed frustration exploding like a volcano through layers of rock. "How can you sit there and talk to me about who my vice-captain should be?" she demanded, her shoulders shaking slightly.

"I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't run things at the Thirteenth," he said, apologetically, "I mean, you're good. I know you'll figure things out."

This comment just served to make Rukia even angrier, "Figure things out, huh? You need to figure some things out, Kurosaki!" She couldn't believe how incredibly clueless he was.

"I don't understand, Rukia," said Ichigo, looking slightly dazed. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"Forget it, Ichigo," she said, and she spun on her heel and headed inside the house, making her way for the door. She needed to get away from here, get away from him.

"Rukia, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" began Ichigo, but she cut him off.

"Maybe that's the problem, Ichigo. You don't mean anything. You walk around like nothing has happened, like I haven't been gone for ten years. Like you never kissed me. Like you never told me you loved me. Like I never told you I lied when I said you were a child…" Her voice trailed off, and she turned her back on him, her fists clenched, facing the door.

"Rukia, you idiot," said Ichigo softly. "Why do you think I've been keeping my distance since you came back?"

She felt his hand on her shoulder, but she did not turn around to face him.

"I've been staying away from you because you've been gone for ten years. I wanted to give you time to adjust. I didn't want to push you."

She took a deep breath, trying to take in the words he had just said. Still, she did not turn to face him.

"There's never been anyone else, Rukia," he said, his voice slightly husky. "I've been waiting for you, looking for you, hoping that I could bring you back since you left me on that mountain ten years ago."

She said nothing.

"Dammit, Rukia. I'm telling you I love you, that I want to be with you. Do you hate me so much that you can't even say anything?"

She turned to face him. There were tears on her cheeks as she looked into his eyes. "Fool," she said, scowling, "Why would you think that? Don't you know I love you, too?" And then she said softly, her scowl melting, "I guess I always have."

Rukia's words were warmth, running through his veins, easing the pain which had threatened to engulf him. He took her gently in his arms and held her against him, reveling in the feel of her. They stood there, immobile, suspended in the moment.

After a while, Rukia pulled her head gently away from his chest, and reached for his face, bringing it close to hers. She kissed him gently, running her fingers through his orange hair, feeling the roughness of his cheeks against her palms. Then, her hands traced his neck and shoulders. She pushed back his haori and kimono top until she felt the hard smoothness of his chest. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, her touch arousing his senses and making his head swim.

She had wanted to do this for so long, it nearly took her breath away. She felt his chest rise and fall with each breath. Slowly, she pushed the fabric of his uniform away from his shoulders, so it fell to his waist, and she ran her hands over his arms and his back, drinking in the smell and the feel of him.

Ichigo looked down at her, forcing his eyes open again. He wanted to see her. To reassure himself that she was really here with him, touching him, no longer just a dream. He waited as long as he could stand it, and then he slowly led her to his bedroom, his eyes still lingering on her face.

"You're so beautiful, Rukia," he said to her as he laid her gently on the bed, kissing her face and neck, her breasts. And Ichigo felt her soul join with his in a way he had never felt before. For a brief moment, her reiatsu was his, and his reiatsu was hers, and he knew what she was thinking, knew the love she truly felt for him, felt the pain she had suffered on his account, and the incredible pleasure of their physical love. He wondered if this is what happened when two spiritual beings joined together.

"Ichigo," she said, a note of surprise in her voice as she experienced a similar sensation. She had never heard of this type of union of spirit energy, and she wondered vaguely if the act of sexual love was different because of the immense power of his soul. But her thoughts were soon lost in the intense physical pleasure of the moment as she lost herself in his thoughts and feelings and felt the power of his soul join with hers.

*****************************

As they lay there, hours later, exhausted and entwined, he ran his hands softly through her hair. It had not been the first time that night that he had done this, but he still marveled at how wonderful it felt. He marveled at the beauty of her, the feel of her body, her soft skin, her violet eyes. And he marveled at how lucky he was, to have found her again, and that she could finally return the love he had offered her so many years ago. He felt closer to her than he had felt towards anyone in his life. He knew her hopes, her dreams, her fears, her desires. He had felt them, in that moment of union, and they burned in him as well.

Ichigo watched Rukia as she fell asleep, the sound of her breathing soft in his ear. Finally, unable to fight sleep any longer, he closed his eyes and dreamed.

_He was sitting in a room of light, with no walls or windows, only a door in the distance. He could hear voices from far away, but he couldn't make out what they were saying._

"_I've been here before," he thought, but he couldn't remember when. A feeling of uneasiness crept over him. "I can't stay here." He stood up and walked towards the door. He needed to get out of here. Something was wrong. She was in danger, hurt._

_As he neared the door, he heard laughing and more talking. A man's voice, commanding and baleful. Threatening. He recognized the voice. Aizen. He strained to hear the words, but could only make out a few._

"_She was a failed experiment…the Hogyoku was destroyed…the key…she was not the one…"_

_He reached the door, and a deep sense of dread struck him as he did so. Where was she? And then panic, eating into him like acid into skin._

_He grabbed the handle of the door and turned it. He pushed the door open. He had to find her, make sure she was all right._

_And then his foot hit something solid and he looked down. Rukia. Covered with blood, eyes unseeing. Dead. _

"_I had no further use for her," said Aizen, laughing._

_Ichigo tried to scream, but no sound issued from his lips…_

"No!" said Ichigo, sitting up suddenly in bed. His heart was racing. He was sweating and his skin was clammy. As he came to realize where he was, he saw Rukia, rubbing her eyes and looking at him with concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked, reaching her arms out and pulling him close to her.

"I'm fine," he said, "bad dream, I guess." As he spoke, he looked at her, drinking her in. His heart was still beating wildly, and he forced himself to take a few long breaths.

She smiled at him and kissed his neck. "I know how to make you forget about your dream," she said, now reaching his lips with hers and kissing him deeply. But even as he gave in to his desire for her and tried to lose himself in it, he knew that he would not forget this particular dream so easily.


	21. Ruminations

Chapter Twenty-One: Ruminations

Rukia woke with a start. It was late. She was late. The Division Thirteen demonstration was scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes and she was still in bed, naked, lying next to Ichigo. The realization that she was lying next to him made her smile.

Ichigo was sound asleep. For just a moment, she watched him sleeping, peaceful. She gently kissed him on the cheek so as not to wake him, and dressed quickly. Time to shift gears, to put last night aside and focus on her work, something she loved nearly as much as she loved him.

Rukia arrived at the Thirteenth Division training grounds just as the demonstrations were about to begin. Kiyone and Sentarou looked relieved as she walked onto the field to meet them. "Sorry," Rukia said, "I overslept a little." They probably figured she had spent the night at the house with Byakuya. Rukia was relieved. She knew it wouldn't be long before everyone knew about her and Ichigo, but she was enjoying keeping the secret to herself as long as she could.

Rukia climbed the stands to get a better view of the demonstrations as the first group of four pairs of shinigami took their places on the field. Kiyone and Sentarou stood between the groups, acting as informal referees for the matches. Rukia took notes about each pair's fighting styles, relying on one of the lower-ranked seated shinigami to provide her with names and background information for each combatant. Each demonstration lasted about fifteen minutes, and, by lunch, nearly half of the squad completed his or her turn before Rukia.

All in all, Rukia was pleased with the caliber of her troops as well as the amount of information she had obtained about their abilities and potential. She had no doubt that the knowledge she gleaned from the demonstrations would assist her in crafting an effective training program, and, more importantly, in developing battle strategies for the future.

Most of the shinigami had left the field as Rukia finished scribbling some notes about the last group before they broke for lunch. She was trying to remember the name of a woman in the second pairing when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Not too shabby, Captain Kuchiki," said Ichigo, his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his breath. She shivered, involuntarily. "Join me for some lunch?" he asked, his face so close to hers that she felt a strand of his hair tickle her check.

He was too close, she thought, it made it hard to concentrate. "Ichigo, are you trying to make me forget what I was writing?" she said, in half-hearted exasperation.

"Yep," he replied, this time brushing his lips against her next and kissing her there, "that was the general idea."

She sighed and put down the notebook and pen she had been holding. Sixth Seat Kyo, the young female shinigami who had been helping Rukia all morning, openly stared at Ichigo. Then she blushed deeply and said, "Kuchiki-taicho, I'll go back to the barracks and get these notes organized." She scurried away before Rukia could say anything, leaving Ichigo and Rukia alone in the stands. Ichigo grinned.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" chided Rukia, looking at him sternly.

"Definitely."

"Sentarou," she yelled down to the field, "I'll be back in an hour or so. Good work!" Kiyone looked disappointed to have been left out of the compliments. Rukia chuckled, "You, too, Kiyone, excellent job." Kiyone appeared satisfied. They turned and left towards the barracks.

"You seem to be settling in," said Ichigo, grabbing her hand from under the sleeve of her haori. His hand was warm. Rukia remembered how that hand had explored every inch of her body the night before. She shook her head slightly, as if to clear those thoughts, and turned to Ichigo.

"Not shy, are we?" she said, coyly, turning to him.

"Never," he said, "at least, I try not to be. We don't have anything to hide, do we?" They walked out of the stands and exited the field, still holding hands.

"No," Rukia replied, "of course not. Besides, after that little show in front of Kyo, the entire Seireitei will know about us by the end of the day whether we like it or not."

"I like that," he said, this time pulling her close to him and kissing her. "I like that a lot."

Rukia laughed and he kissed her again. He smelled so good, she wanted to devour him. Her stomach growled loudly and he laughed.

"Good thing I brought lunch," he said, holding up his free hand to show her several boxes, "Sushi, this time."

"Read my mind, Ichigo?" she said, thankful that there was something to distract her from her thoughts and silence her complaining stomach.

"Just like last night," Ichigo answered with a devilish smile, sitting down under a tree not far from the entrance to the training grounds and placing the boxes on the ground.

So he had felt it, too, she thought. Strange. She sat down next to him, still lost in thought.

"You look far away," he said, looking at her with some concern. "Something wrong?"

"Not wrong," she said, thinking out loud, "just…unusual, I guess." She wasn't sure how to explain it to him.

"Ichigo," she began, after a moment or two, "last night, when we…"

"Mmmm," he said, grinning broadly, "I remember." He moved closer to her, so that their legs touched, and put one of his arms casually around her shoulders.

"Ichigo, I'm being serious here." Ichigo did his best to wipe the grin off his face.

"Last night, there was a moment when I felt like I was looking directly into your soul, like I could see everything inside of you, every thought, every fear…"

"Every dream," he finished. "I felt it, too. I just figured that's what usually happens when two spirits come together, if you'll pardon the pun." She elbowed him playfully, but quickly became lost in thought again.

"It is what usually happens, isn't it?" he asked, when she didn't respond.

"Not that I've ever heard or experienced," she said. He wasn't sure he liked the implication in her answer that there had been others before him. What did he expect, though? She was over a hundred years old, after all.

*********************************

After lunch with Rukia, Ichigo returned to the Division Five barracks. He walked through the door to his office to find Renji, sitting on the desk and looking irritated.

"How long were you going to wait to tell me, Kurosaki?" demanded Renji, eyes narrowed.

It certainly hadn't taken long for word to get around, thought Ichigo, ignoring Renji's question and sitting down in his desk chair.

"By the way," Renji continued, "you look like shit."

"Thanks," said Ichigo, yawning. "Didn't get much sleep last night."

"No kidding." Renji pulled a bottle of sake out of his pocket and slammed it down on the desk. "You know, I should kill you," he said, scowling. "She's like a sister to me."

"I won't hurt her," said Ichigo, seriously.

"You can't guarantee that," said Renji, popping open the sake bottle and taking a swig. He passed the bottle to Ichigo, who followed suit, but said nothing. They drank in silence for a while.

"Hey, Renji," said Ichigo after some thought, "before the war, there was some talk about a key. Something Aizen was looking for. The reason he targeted Karakura Town." It had been on his mind since last night, when he had dreamed about Aizen, and he just couldn't put it out of his mind.

"Yeah," said Renji, who had downed the entire bottle by this point, and was in the process of pulling a second bottle out of yet another pocket, "Old Man Yamamoto said something about a key. So what?"

"Just something I heard," said Ichigo.

"Some of the kids in the Rukongai used to tell stories about the Royal Family. Fairy tales, I guess." Renji squinted at Ichigo, trying to read him. "You're up to something, Kurosaki, aren't you?"

"Nah, Renji, forget about it," said Ichigo, trying to convince himself to do the same. "It was just a dream I had." He grabbed the nearly full bottle away from Renji and chugged the rest of the sake. It warmed his shoulders and he felt himself relax somewhat. He closed his eyes. "I'll sleep just for a few minutes," he told himself.

"Ichigo? Renji?"

Ichigo was sitting on the floor of his office, looking up at Rukia, bleary-eyed. "Hey, Rukia," he said, smiling up at her weakly, "how are you doing?" Renji, lying on the floor a few feet from Ichigo, waved at her.

"What are you two doing?" she said, dumbfounded.

"Just having a friendly drink," said Renji, doing his best to sit up without falling over.

"In the afternoon?"

"Captain's prerogative," responded Ichigo. "Renji and I were…uh…talking."

"About what?"

No answer. Rukia tapped her foot, irritated. "You look horrible, Ichigo. Let me take you back to your quarters. You need to sleep." He was not going to argue with her. Besides, he thought, she looked pretty when she was mad. Rukia helped Ichigo to his feet. She was a lot stronger than she looked.

"See ya later, Rukia," said Renji, who had finally made it up off the floor and was straightening his uniform. "I better head back or your brother will have my head."

Rukia managed to get Ichigo down the breezeway and through the front door to his quarters. She took off his clothes, and led him to the bedroom. By then, Ichigo's head had cleared a little, and he said to her, "Mmmm. Trying to take advantage of me, huh?"

Rukia guided him to the bed, and sat him down on it. "I'm just going to lie down for a few minutes," he said sleepily, smiling at her. He was asleep before he hit the bed. She sighed and went to make herself some tea. It would be more than a few minutes, she knew.

*****************************

Rukia sat on the couch. It was now dark in the Seireitei and Ichigo was still asleep in his bedroom. She was tired and hungry. It had been more than three hours since she had helped Ichigo back to his quarters, and her head ached. "Damn. I probably look as bad as he did," she said to herself, yawning deeply.

Rukia had never had headaches before she returned from Hueco Mundo. She figured these were probably due to the stress of her return and of taking on a command so suddenly. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to relax and, as she did so, an image flashed in her mind. A room, white and sparse. Her room in Hueco Mundo. Her prison.

Rukia found herself shaking. She remembered very little of her time in Hueco Mundo after her last conversation with Aizen. What she did recall was always hazy, experiences seen through a thick fog; bits and snatches of people, of thoughts, and of voices. Still, thinking about it made her uneasy, anxious.

She got up and headed over to the small kitchen. She needed to eat something. That would make her feel better. Not surprisingly, however, there was little to choose from - just a box of sesame crackers and some wasabi peas. She grabbed a handful of the peas and put some water up for tea, leaning against the kitchen counter and looking out at the garden. She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

"Sorry I don't have much to offer for dinner," said Ichigo, walking over to the kitchen. He seemed back to himself, refreshed. He wore only his hakama pants. The distraction of seeing his bare chest put all thoughts of Aizen and Hueco Mundo out of her mind. She wrapped her arms around him.

"I could get one of my lackeys to pick us up something to eat," he said, enjoying the feel of her head against his skin. "One of the benefits of being a captain."

"In a few minutes, maybe," she said, "I'm enjoying this right now." She didn't want to think about anything right now, she just wanted to enjoy the feel of him. "Feeling better?" she said, looking up at him after a few minutes.

"Much," he said, smiling. "Sometimes I forget that Renji can drink me under the table and still beat the shit out of just about anyone. The guy's incredible."

Her head throbbed again, and she let go of him, rubbing her temples unconsciously.

"You okay?" he asked, noticing her uncharacteristic behavior.

"Yes," she said, realizing what she was doing and putting her arms back around him, "just a little headache."

"I'm getting you some real food," he said. He kissed her briefly and walked out of the house to the main barracks, still shirtless. In a few minutes, he was back. "Dinner will be here soon. Why don't you sit down and I'll make the tea." She nodded.

About a half hour later, they were seated on the floor, enjoying steaming hot udon which a young recruit had brought to Ichigo's door. "Better?" asked Ichigo.

"Much," she answered, "thanks." Her head still hurt, but much less now that she had something in her stomach.

"I didn't know souls got headaches," said Ichigo as he slurped a pile of noodles that were suspended from his chopsticks. "Guess I never really thought about it before."

"We don't, usually," she said, giggling to herself as he splattered himself with soup. "Some people think it's imprinted on our souls when we are in human form and that, when we're tired or stressed, we remember how we reacted when we were human and feel pain. Something like an instinct."

"Feeling stressed, then?" he asked her as he poured her another cup of tea.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Sometimes, when I get these headaches, I think about what happened in Hueco Mundo. Maybe it has something to do with the memories of that place." She sipped her tea, watching the steam rise off its surface.

Ichigo looked thoughtfully at her for a moment. "What do you remember about Hueco Mundo?" he said gently, not wanting to pressure her, but immensely curious all the same.

"Not much. I spent the first few months training almost every minute I was awake. Then, things got sort of fuzzy. I remember being really tired, and this woman kept telling me that I should rest, that I needed to sleep. And then everything was just white, empty, and the only person I ever saw was her," said Rukia, her eyes far away, remembering.

Her words startled him. With dawning comprehension, he asked her, "What did this woman look like, Rukia?"

Rukia looked up at him, surprised. "Why do you ask?" she said. She couldn't understand why it mattered now.

"Just curious," replied Ichigo, his tone casual. He didn't want her to worry, but he needed to know.

She looked at him for a moment, slightly intrigued and then, dismissing the thought that he had some reason for asking her the question other than simple curiosity, she said, "Tall, beautiful, with long dark hair. She wore a red dress. She had a zanpakuto."


	22. Connections

Chapter Twenty-Two: Connections

_He was back in the bright, empty place again, alone, afraid. "Rukia," he thought desperately, "I've got to find her before it's too late."_

"_Looking for me?" Her voice, from behind him. He turned around quickly, relief spreading through his body, reaching for her and wanting to hold her close to him._

"_You!" he said, as he turned and saw her. It was not Rukia standing there, although it had been her voice he had heard._

"_The key, Ichigo. Give me the key, and I'll give her back to you."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about," said Ichigo, desperation growing like a snake inside of him, "Just give me Rukia."_

"_I want the key, Ichigo. If you don't give me the key, she will die."_

_And she turned and walked away, her black hair like rivulets of ink running down her back, her red dress like blood._

Ichigo sat up in bed, wide awake, the sound of the woman's voice echoing in his brain. His heart was racing, and he was sweating. Fear had taken up residence in his mind and body. Not the fear of battle. Something more insidious.

These were no ordinary dreams. They were more like hallucinations. It was as if he had actually been in that room, felt the presence of the woman in red, her thoughts, even the smell of her.

Rukia moaned in her sleep and shifted restlessly, but she did not wake up. He was thankful, he needed time to figure things out for himself before he told her about the dreams. He didn't realize that Rukia, too, was dreaming.

**************************************

_Rukia was floating above a room filled with blinding white light. She could see the woman in red. The woman was not alone, there was someone else in the room with her. Ichigo. He was looking for something, for her, Rukia._

"_Ichigo!" Rukia called to him, wanting him to know that she was fine, that she was here. He couldn't hear her. Rukia flew down to him, and reached out to touch him, to reassure him that she was fine, that she was right beside him, but her hand was transparent and passed through his body. She could not touch him. She was a ghost._

"_I want the key, Ichigo. If you don't give me the key, she will die." The woman in red. Angry now, threatening._

"_Ichigo!" yelled Rukia, louder this time. He still did not hear her, and she began to feel afraid._

_The woman in red turned and walked away into the light and vanished._

Rukia moaned in her sleep, and shifted in the bed. At the same time, Ichigo sat bolt upright, awakened from the same dream.

********************************

Rukia left Ichigo's quarters early the next morning, explaining that she had something planned at the Thirteenth that needed some last minute preparation. They planned to meet for dinner that evening.

"Headache gone?" he asked her as she had finished dressing.

"I feel fine, Ichigo, please don't worry about me. Your constant worrying makes me want to kick you, hard," had been her response. And, with that, she had kissed him briefly on the lips and was out the door.

Ichigo showered and dressed quickly. He knew what he had to do. He stopped briefly at his office and told Michiko that he needed to take care of something, that he'd be back later. Michiko smiled at him, knowingly. Rukia hadn't been joking; word did get around amazingly fast in the Seireitei.

Ichigo arrived at the Sixth Division a few minutes later. Byakuya was not in his office. Ichigo walked around the building and found a pair of shinigami practicing kido in the gardens.

"Captain Kurosaki," said one of the shinigami brightly, "may I assist you?"

"I need to speak to Captain Kuchiki. Do you know where I can find him?"

"He's over there," she replied, pointing to a gate leading out of the garden to a wooded area.

"Thank you," said Ichigo, heading in the direction of the gate. He found Byakuya sitting on a bench in the shade, reading.

"Interesting book?" asked Ichigo jauntily, as he approached the elder Kuchiki. Byakuya looked up from the book, his face as impassive as ever.

"Kurosaki-san," Byakuya said stiffly, "as rude as ever."

Ichigo was used to this. He had almost grown to like the pompous attitude; he enjoyed annoying Byakuya. Today, however, Ichigo did not take the bait. He needed answers.

"Good morning, Kuchiki-taicho," said Ichigo, doing his best to sound deferential. "I was hoping I could speak with you about something."

Byakuya knew from Ichigo's uncharacteristic lack of a clever retort that this must be important. Closing the book and putting it down on the bench, he said, "You have my attention."

"What do you know about the Royal Key, the Oken?" Ichigo asked, figuring it was best to get directly to the point. Byakuya had always been able to see through Ichigo's facade, anyhow.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "What do _you_ know of the Oken?" asked Byakuya.

Leave it Byakuya to answer a question with another question, thought Ichigo, forcing himself to suppress a laugh.

"Only that it's the key to the dimension where the Royal Family lives," Ichigo replied, fighting the urge to punch the smug expression off Byakuya's face, "and that Aizen had hoped to create a second Oken using the Hogyoku."

"That is correct," said Byakuya, his face again unreadable.

Ichigo found himself clenching his fists so tightly, his fingernails dug into his skin. Even under the best conditions, Byakuya's calm indifference irritated Ichigo. Now, when he was anxious for answers, it was torture. He knew, though, that he had to be patient and keep his temper under control, otherwise he'd get nowhere with Byakuya.

"I was hoping, Byakuya-san," said Ichigo, evenly, "that you might know more about the Oken and that you'd be willing to share your knowledge with me." Ichigo was sure he was drawing blood with his fingernails now. The pain helped him focus.

"Of course," said Byakuya, studying Ichigo for a moment, "but some of what I will share with you is knowledge that only captains, or those of higher rank are permitted to know."

"I understand," said Ichigo, leaning against a nearby tree, doing his best to look casual and relaxed.

"Most of the history of the Royal Family has passed into the realm of folklore," began Byakuya. "Legend tells that, millennia ago, the King created the Real World and the Soul Society. It is said that the King then created a different dimension in which to live, and the Royal Guard was established to guard the passage between the Soul Society and the dwelling place of the King."

"Sounds like an old-fashioned fairy tale," laughed Ichigo. He always hated fairy tales. The lecture wasn't getting him anywhere. He fought the urge to fidget.

"At the heart of many 'fairy tales,' as you refer to them, there is often truth," said Byakuya disdainfully. It was clear that he did not find Ichigo's skepticism to be an appropriate response to the story.

"The Royal Guard," continued Byakuya, "draws its ranks from only those Gotei captains who are exceptionally strong and loyal. Despite their position of honor, however, none of the Royal Guard are said to have ever seen or spoken to the King."

"And the key?" asked Ichigo, slightly impatiently. Byakuya gave him a scathing look.

"It is said Oken is a four-prong key, but no one in living memory has seen it, and its location is something known only to the Captain-Commander himself," responded Byakuya. "This is all I know."

There was a moment of silence before Ichigo said, "Thank you." He had learned nearly nothing new. Ichigo turned to leave, not waiting to be dismissed.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo turned back to face Byakuya. This was the first time Byakuya had ever called him by his given name, and it surprised him.

"Yes?"

"I am told that you have been courting my sister," said Byakuya, face still impassive.

Ichigo fought the urge to snigger at Byakuya's archaic choice of words, but said nothing. Instead, he waited for another lecture. None came.

"I am concerned for her safety. Clearly you are, as well, or you would not have come here."

"Of course I am concerned about her," he said simply. "I love her."

"Aizen seeks the King's power. He needs the King's key to open the passage to the dwelling place of the King. I believe that Aizen used Rukia in order to obtain the Oken," said Byakuya. "I do not believe you were his intended target."

Ichigo nodded, at a loss for words. The entire exchange left him astonished. He had never expected Byakuya to admit his concern for Rukia's welfare.

"It has been said that in every generation of shinigami, there is but one key," said Byakuya. "Aizen failed to create another using Karakura Town. Perhaps, though, he knows of another way."

Ichigo remembered Aizen's words to him, that Rukia had been "a little experiment…only partially successful." And then he remembered the words he had heard in his dream, "She was a failed experiment…she was not the one."

And then it came to him. He didn't understand it, but he knew he was right. "The key is a person," he said. Byakuya said nothing.


	23. Tea and Truth

Chapter Twenty-Three: Tea and Truth

Ichigo went directly from the Sixth Division to the area where the senkai gates to the Real World stood. He was furious. Urahara must have known or suspected that Rukia's transformation had been no accident. Urahara had created the Hogyoku, and he, more than anyone, would have known or guessed at the extent of its power. Yet he had said nothing all these years.

"This isn't the first time," said Ichigo to himself as he navigated the passage between worlds. "The last time nearly killed Rukia." The more Ichigo thought about it, the more infuriated he became. By the time he arrived outside Urahara's shop, he was livid.

Ichigo strode into the shop, ignoring a startled Tessai, and on into Urahara's living quarters, where he found Urahara sitting on the floor drinking tea.

"Kurosaki-kun," said Urahara, smiling broadly, "so nice to see you."

Ichigo could have punched him. He was tired of the act. "You've known all along that Aizen hollowized Rukia because he was after the Oken, didn't you." It was not a question.

Urahara, still maddeningly calm, gestured for Ichigo to sit down. "Can I offer you some tea, Kurosaki-kun?" he asked, smiling again.

"I don't want to sit down, and I don't want any fucking tea," growled Ichigo, his temper at its boiling point.

Urahara remained on the floor. After a moment, during which Ichigo had to restrain himself from grabbing Urahara by the neck and throttling him, Urahara said calmly, "She was already gone by the time I realized what Aizen had done. If I had told you then, Kurosaki-kun, what could you have done?"

Ichigo had no response to this. When it came to protecting the people he cared about, logic was never at the forefront of his thoughts. It had always been that way.

"Please sit down, Kurosaki-kun," said Urahara again. This time, Ichigo obliged, but the anger in his face was still plain. Urahara poured Ichigo a cup of tea. Ichigo ignored it.

"When did you figure it out?" demanded Ichigo.

Urahara smiled. "I knew almost immediately after you returned from your mission ten years ago to rescue Orihime that the Hogyoku was the cause of Rukia's transformation," he said, sipping his tea.

Getting anything out of Urahara was incredibly difficult. He answered only in his own time, and then only in his own way. It had been a tedious, frustrating day for Ichigo and now, as night fell, Ichigo realized how tired he felt. In spite of himself, he picked up the cup of tea and drank. This clearly pleased Urahara.

"I suspected it was no accident that Rukia was injured, of course," continued Urahara. "Aizen Sousuke never acts without intention."

"You should have told me…told her," said Ichigo, still angry.

"There was nothing to tell," responded Urahara, putting his cup down again. "Just an old man's suspicions."

"Cut the shit, Urahara," Ichigo responded, his temper beginning to flare again, "You're the former Captain of the Twelfth Division and the guy who founded the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. You knew Aizen before he even made captain."

"Knew him," mused Urahara, his hand characteristically touching the brim of his hat. "Interesting choice of words, Kurosaki-kun. No one really knew him. He just led us to believe that we did."

Ichigo recalled how he had been tricked into believing he was escaping with Rukia from Hueco Mundo, only to find himself under the influence of Aizen's Kanzen Saimin and running right into a trap. Aizen's ability to place his victims under a state of hypnosis was astounding.

"You know something you're not telling me," said Ichigo.

"I know many things."

"You know why Aizen targeted Rukia."

Urahara peered out from under his hat again, a slight smile on his lips. "Perhaps," he said, obviously relishing keeping Ichigo in suspense.

Ichigo, with the utmost control now, picked up his cup again and took a sip of the tea. He then placed it back on the floor and watched Urahara. He could play Urahara's little game, too.

"Impressive. You really have learned self-control, Kurosaki-kun," Urahara said, smiling coyly. "Very well, then. It is my belief that Aizen Sousuke developed another plan to create a second key to the King's dimension.

"Everyone knows that Aizen found a way to use the Hogyoku to create a second Oken by destroying Karakura Town. Aizen always knew there was risk that he would not be able to gain control over Karakura, or that the Hogyoku might be destroyed."

"So what makes you think Aizen figured out another way to make the King's key?" asked Ichigo. Urahara was clearly enjoying himself. To reveal his knowledge to others was Urahara's greatest pleasure.

"When I was permitted back into the Soul Society to assist Mayuri create a gateway for you and Byakuya to enter Hueco Mundo," said Urahara, smiling like the proverbial cat that swallowed the canary, "I took the opportunity to review the archives relating to the nature of the King's key."

Ichigo had been patient enough. Any more build up, and he was sure he would explode.

With his last ounce of patience, Ichigo asked, "And what did you find there?"

"I am assuming, Kurosaki-kun, that you have already figured out that the Oken is not a thing, it is a being. A person, if you will." Urahara waited a moment for effect.

"What you probably do not know," said Urahara, now quite smug, "is that the Oken is also a vizard."

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo turned around and found Rukia standing behind him.


	24. Of One Mind

Chapter Twenty-Four: Of One Mind

"Rukia," stammered Ichigo, his composure felled by the double impact of Urahara's pronouncement and Rukia's unexpected appearance in the Real World. He stood up to face her.

"Rukia-chan," said Urahara, "this is a pleasant surprise." Rukia barely acknowledged Urahara's presence, and turned back to face Ichigo, scowling.

"Rukia, what are you doing here?" asked Ichigo, uneasily.

"Looking for you, stupid." She was not happy. "When you didn't meet me for dinner, I got worried."

So it was her turn to worry about him, thought Ichigo, inwardly smiling. "I was just talking to Urahara about…" began Ichigo.

"I heard," she said, interrupting him. "When did you plan on including me in the conversation? You're still trying to protect me. This does concern me, does it not?"

"Yes," said Ichigo, reluctantly, "it does." She had the damnedest way of seeing right through him.

"So, tell me," Rukia said, rounding on Urahara now, "if I am the Oken, why did Aizen let me go? Why didn't he come after me?"

"Interesting point, Rukia-chan," said Urahara, looking at her thoughtfully. "But, you see, you are not the Oken. The Oken that Aizen seeks cannot be created. The Oken simply is."

"I don't understand," said Ichigo, slightly bewildered, "I thought you said Aizen could create a key without Karakura Town."

"Not precisely, Kurosaki-kun. What I said is that Aizen developed another method to create a second key, not that he succeeded in doing so."

Urahara poured himself another cup of tea and motioned for Ichigo and Rukia to join him sitting down. Taking the opportunity to glare at Ichigo again, Rukia sat down. Ichigo followed suit. It seemed safe enough. Urahara filled a third cup and handed it to Rukia.

"That's why Aizen said Rukia was 'only a partially successful experiment,'" said Ichigo, thinking out loud.

"Thanks," said Rukia, sarcastically. She was still highly irritated, Ichigo noted, although she was no longer furious. That was, at least, an improvement.

"Of course," said Urahara, smiling again. "Aizen successfully created a vizard but, even using the Hogyoku to do so, he realized had not created the Oken."

"How would Aizen have known I was not the Oken?" asked Rukia, slightly puzzled.

"That," said Urahara wistfully, "I do not know. But you can be sure that, if Aizen believed you to be the Oken, he would have used you to attempt to enter the King's domain long before Ichigo and Byakuya brought you back."

They sat in silence for several minutes. Ichigo yawned, unabashedly.

"Kurosaki-kun," said Urahara, fingering the brim of his hat, "you look tired. Can I offer you both the guest bedroom for the evening? We can finish this discussion tomorrow."

Rukia gave Ichigo an 'I told you so' look. Ichigo had to admit to himself that he had never imagined news of their relationship would have traveled this far, so quickly. He smiled at Rukia. She scowled at him, her message clear: I haven't finished with you yet.

Later, in Urahara's guest room, she rounded on him, having restrained herself from unleashing her anger to its fullest extent in front of Urahara.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," she scolded, eyes narrowed, "you suspected that I might be the Oken, and you never thought of telling me about it?"

"I wasn't sure, really," he said, not wanting to anger her more, "but something your brother said made me realize that…"

"You spoke to Byakuya about it, but not me?!"

Ichigo thought it best to look apologetic and not argue with her. "You're right, Rukia. I should have told you as soon as I suspected. I'm sorry."

She looked taken aback. She had not expected his apology, or at least not without a fight. He had learned more in the past ten years than she had realized.

"Well, you should be," she said, crossing her arms and glaring at him, her foot tapping the floor. She knew she couldn't stay angry at him for long. She was beginning to lose her resolve. He had that effect on her.

"How did you know where to find me?" he asked, still enjoying the fact that she had come looking for him, despite her protests when he had done the same for her just a few days before. He made a mental note to remember to tease her about it later…mercilessly.

"One of my troops was on duty at the senkai gates when you left," she answered, sitting down on the bed. "It wasn't hard to figure it out after that."

"I guess I can't keep secrets from you for very long, can I?" He found himself fighting the urge push her onto her back and kiss her long and hard.

"No. And you should know that by now, Ichigo. Besides," she said playfully, "I know how to read your mind now." She was smiling now.

"Oh, and how is that?" He grinned.

"Like this," she said, and she grabbed his hands and pulled him down on top of her. She kissed him soundly on the mouth and wrapped her arms around his chest. She inhaled the scent of him, and she felt dizzy. She ran her hands through his hair and over his face, his neck and his chest. He responded to her touch, breathing hard and pulling her towards him roughly. They were so close that she could hear his heart pounding in his chest, feel his muscles tense beneath her. She really couldn't stay angry with him, she thought.

And then it happened, as it had before. She sensed the barriers between their souls open, and she could see into his heart, feel his joy, his physical desire for her. And then she felt his fear. The devastating fear of losing her again.

"_I'm not going anywhere, Ichigo. You aren't going to lose me," she said, silently, willing him to hear her. "I promise."_

"_I love you, Rukia," came the reply._

**************************

"Rukia," said Ichigo as they lay there afterwards, still holding each other, "there is something else I need to tell you." Maybe she already knew. Either way, he figured it was better to come clean now and suffer the punishment.

She was silent.

"I've been having these dreams. About the lady in red. The one you told me about. I've been having them for years. Since we came back from Hueco Mundo with Orihime." Ichigo took a deep breath, waiting for the explosion.

Still no reply.

"Lately, though, they've changed. Now, she wants something from me. She wants…" he said, his voice trailing off as he fought to master his fear.

"She wants the key," finished Rukia softly. "I know, Ichigo. I've been having the same dreams."


	25. Storm Clouds

Chapter Twenty-Five: Storm Clouds

For once, it was Ichigo who fell asleep first. Rukia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She could not stop thinking about the Oken. Could Ichigo be the key? She was sure Urahara suspected this, it seemed so obvious. Then why hadn't Aizen tried to use Ichigo to enter the King's dimension?

Her head ached dully. She closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind. After a few hours, though, with no respite in sight, she got out of bed and pulled on her uniform. Picking up her zanpakuto, she headed down to the practice grounds. A little training would help clear her mind.

The practice grounds under Urahara's shop were empty. Rukia walked to the large, open area in the center of the grounds and drew Sode no Shirayuki. She ran her hand gently over its blade and felt the vibration of spirit energy resonate through her fingers. Then she held the sword straight out in front of her and said, "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren." Ice shot from the end of the zanpakuto and hit an outcropping of rock in front of where Rukia stood. Her hand vibrated with the release, and her palm felt warm.

She followed this with another blast, which she aimed at a cliff off in the distance. The attack carved a gash into the side of the rocks. The accuracy, distance and strength of her attacks had improved markedly since she had returned from Hueco Mundo. She had truly mastered shikai. She could draw no more power from her zanpakuto in its current state.

Breathing deeply and focusing her energy, she said, "Bankai." She felt the familiar warmth rush through her veins and an intense focus, which cleared all remaining thoughts of the Oken and of Ichigo from her mind. She had not released her hollow since her practice match with Ichigo. She would not let her fear paralyze her.

"I can do this," she said to herself, putting her hand to her face as the glittering white mask formed, covering her skin in coldness. She was relieved as, yet again, she sensed no other presence intruding on her mind. The hollow was hers alone.

"Need a practice target?" Ichigo stood about thirty feet away from her, grinning with anticipation. "Bankai!" he shouted, as dust swirled around his feet.

"Couldn't sleep either?" said Rukia, aiming her zanpakuto at him. She sent an attack of ice crystals swirling in the air which landed in a circular pattern around Ichigo. Ichigo had not moved. He knew she had not been aiming to hit him.

"This one won't miss," she warned and, closing her eyes, Rukia willed a cloud of crystals to form in front of her. Touching the tip of her zanpakuto to her dagger, she aimed the crystals at him. They shimmered with a red glow and rose up high in the air, split into multiple streams, and flew down with amazing speed towards the place where Ichigo stood.

Ichigo was able to move, just in time. Even with the incredible speed of his bankai, several of the crystals caught one of his sleeves, and silver smoke rose from the spot where they had touched him. He laughed.

"No kidding!" he said, and sent a shower of flame in her direction.

Rukia turned slightly, and used the edge of her zanpakuto as a shield. Ichigo's attack was deflected back at him, and he moved quickly out of its path, leaving a patch of scorched ground where he had stood.

"Nice move!" he shouted as he put his hand to his face, revealing his hollow mask as he withdrew it. "Time for payback!" Ichigo moved with blinding speed and aimed his zanpakuto away from Rukia.

"_I'm going to try something different this time," thought Ichigo._

Rukia blinked beneath her mask. Had she heard him, or had it just been her imagination? Suddenly, she knew what she had to do.

"Getsuga Tensho!" he yelled, and swung Zangetsu parallel to the ground and out to the side. Ichigo's attack arced around a huge boulder that stood between them and towards the spot where Rukia had stood. She was nowhere to be seen.

"What the…" began Ichigo, but it was too late. She was standing right behind him.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro," she said. In her hollowized form, the attack was far more powerful. It spread out in a circle from the place where she stood, crystals forming on every surface around her.

"Shit," said Ichigo, looking around him. The entire training ground, every rock and every surface, was covered in shimmering ice. Ichigo's feet would not move.

Rukia closed her eyes and willed the ice to rise around Ichigo. He was encased in a wall of frozen particles, and light sparkled like thousands of tiny mirrors from every rock face that surrounded him.

"Surrender?" she asked, her grin visible at the bottom of the hollow mask, which also reflected flecks of light in its crystalline white surface.

Ichigo's answer was a massive explosion, created as he channeled his spirit power onto every inch of his body. The waves of energy sent ice flying in every direction, and Rukia had to shield herself from the force of it with her own reiatsu.

"I don't think so," he replied, as he aimed yet another attack in her direction. This time, he was so fast, she could barely see him move. She felt a bit of her mask crack off as the edge of the stream of energy flew by her head.

"_Cero," she thought as she touched the tip of her dagger to the blade of her zanpakuto._

A huge red ball of energy, ringed with ice, rushed through the air towards Ichigo. At the exact same moment, Ichigo shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!" again, and black flames shot towards the cero, encasing it. Another deafening explosion, and both Rukia and Ichigo found themselves on the ground, covered with ice and dirt, masks gone.

"How did you know I was going to do that?" asked Rukia, dumfounded.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," replied Ichigo, dusting himself off and giving her a hand up off the ground.

"I knew what you were going to do," Rukia said, looking puzzled. "Not your thoughts exactly, but I could see the attack in your mind." Ichigo's look told Rukia that he had had the same experience.

"Ah, Rukia-chan, Ichigo-kun, up early today, aren't we?" Urahara said, startling both of them. Urahara looked around the grounds with a slight smile, "I see I'm going to have some cleaning up to do."

"Cut the crap, Urahara," said Ichigo, clearly irritated, "how much did you hear?"

"Ichigo-kun, why so testy?" said Urahara, smiling. "Besides, you were going to ask me about it at some point, anyhow, weren't you? Why don't you both join me for some breakfast, and we can finish our conversation from last night."

Ichigo started to say something, but Rukia cut him off saying, "I think that would be a good idea, Urahara-san. We would be happy to join you."

**************************************

A half-hour later, Urahara, Rukia and Ichigo sat eating breakfast. They found they were both starving. Food and drink did Ichigo's mood good; the scowl on his face had been replaced by a frown.

"Well?" said Ichigo, after inhaling three bowls of rice, assorted fish and several pieces of fruit. "You were going to explain the connection between the two of us, weren't you?"

"Of course," said Urahara, smugly, "but first, why don't you tell me exactly what you have experienced."

"As if you don't already know," snapped Ichigo. Rukia unfolded her leg and gave Ichigo a kick.

"Why don't I explain, Urahara-san," she said. Things would go faster this way, she knew.

Rukia described their apparent ability to read each other's thoughts during battle. "I can't usually read exactly what he's thinking," she said, "it's more that I understand what he intends to do."

"Interesting," said Urahara, looking at Ichigo. "And you?"

"Same," grumbled Ichigo as he swallowed a large gulp of tea.

"We also can see into each other when we…ah…" Rukia blushed slightly, then, deciding that she was far too old to be ashamed of her physical relationship with Ichigo said, "When we make love."

Urahara smiled his usual coy smile.

"It's the same, I think, as when we fight. We can't read specific thoughts most of the time, but we can look inside each other and sense feelings, wants, fears. General concepts and feelings." Rukia paused for a moment.

"There is more, though," said Urahara. It was more a statement than a question. "It troubles you, Rukia-chan."

The way Urahara seemed to know things that he should have no reason to know made Rukia uncomfortable. She shifted her legs slightly, not sure how to explain it without it sounding as though both she and Ichigo had completely lost their minds.

"We dream the same dreams," said Ichigo, bluntly, saving Rukia the trouble.

"What kind of dreams?" asked Urahara, peering out from under the brim of his hat, clearly interested.

Ichigo described the dreams, the woman in red, the white room. He did not add that many of the dreams had ended with him being run through by the woman's zanpakuto. He had not told Rukia about that part, and he didn't want to worry her.

"And you?" asked Urahara, looking to Rukia, "have you experienced these dreams the same way?"

"Not exactly," Rukia answered, explaining that, although the dreams took place in the same surroundings, there was a different quality to her dreams. "The woman wasn't asking me for something tangible, like the key. She seemed to be using me to get to Ichigo. She wanted me to hurt him. To kill him." She shuddered inwardly, remembering.

"The last dream, though, was different," she said after a moment, remembering what she had seen. "We both dreamed it at the same time. I was watching Ichigo in the dream. I saw the woman in red speaking to him. I felt his fear. I tried to speak to him, but he couldn't hear me."

"When you felt each other's thoughts during your fight, had you released your bankai?" asked Urahara, deep in thought.

They nodded.

"Interesting."

"Dammit! Is that all you're going to say? 'Interesting?'" barked Ichigo, getting to his feet. "You have no clue what's going on, do you?!"

"No," answered Urahara, nonplussed, "but I have my suspicions."

"Do you intend to share them with us?" demanded Rukia, standing up, irritated as well. Her head was starting to throb again, and her patience was slowly evaporating.

"Of course, Rukia-chan," came the reply, "but please, both of you, sit down and have some more tea."

Rukia sat back down again. Ichigo did not. She grabbed his wrist and pulled, hard. He sat back down, scowling again.

"More tea?" asked Urahara.

"No," said Rukia, still irritated with Urahara's casual attitude, "No, thank you." She was sure she had an inkling of what Ichigo was feeling. "Please, Urahara-san, we'd really appreciate hearing about your suspicions." Urahara put down his cup of tea.

"I am not sure, of course," said Urahara, "but I believe that the connection between the two of you is related, at least partly, to the Hogyoku." This was no great surprise to either Rukia or Ichigo.

"It appears that the connection is strongest when your emotions and spiritual power are at their most intense. Your spiritual powers are most concentrated when you are in your bankai or hollow forms. Similarly, when you are," he paused, smiling demurely, "making love, as you put it, your spiritual energy is also very strong.

"I do not, however, fully understand the nature of your dreams," continued Urahara, watching Ichigo and Rukia carefully from under the brim of his hat. "You probably share these dreams because of your spiritual connection. More than that, I do not know."

Ichigo was still scowling at Urahara. Other than the Hogyoku being a possible catalyst for his connection to Rukia, he had learned little from Urahara's speech. He made to get up to leave, but Rukia stayed seated.

"Urahara-san," she said, thoughtfully, "do you believe Ichigo is the Oken?" Ichigo was surprised to hear Rukia ask the question, although he had certainly entertained the same thought. He leaned on the door, interested to hear what Urahara would say.

"Hmmm," Urahara said, now holding onto the brim of his hat. "I think that is possible. However, that particular theory does not explain why Aizen let Ichigo go, or why he did not come after Ichigo all these years."

"He didn't let me go," said Ichigo. "We were able to escape because Rukia destroyed the Hogyoku." Still, even as he said this, Ichigo felt a nagging doubt. Leaving Hueco Mundo with Rukia and Byakuya had been much easier that he had originally anticipated.

"That may be," said Urahara slowly. "Still, it is unlike Aizen to act carelessly. Leaving the Hogyoku so easily accessible…" Urahara paused for a moment in mid-sentence and then, shrugging, said, "But, even the best of us make mistakes from time to time."

Rukia and Ichigo exchanged knowing looks. In their experience, Urahara's mistakes were generally life-threatening.

"We're leaving. We're not going to learn anything else here," said Ichigo, opening the door and gesturing for Rukia to join him.

"There is one more thing you should know about the Oken," said Urahara, as Rukia stood up to join Ichigo.

"Yeah? What's that?" asked Ichigo, over his shoulder, not expecting anything new.

"Even the possessor of the Oken," said Urahara, "must have the King's permission to enter the King's Realm."

"I don't understand," said Rukia, clearly puzzled. "The key opens the gate between worlds, doesn't it?"

"That is true," said Urahara, smiling at them. "However, legend has it that opening the passage without the King's permission would result in the destruction of the Soul Society and the annihilation of every soul who lives within it."


	26. Memory Redux

Chapter Twenty-Six: Memory Redux

Back in the Soul Society a short time later, Ichigo left Rukia at the Thirteenth Division barracks, promising to return so they could discuss Urahara's theories at length. The Thirteenth was abuzz with the previous day's events.

Rukia had assembled the entire division and surprised the unranked soldiers by asking all the ranked officers to participate in a demonstration similar to the one the officers had watched the day before. The ranked officers complained loudly that they should not have to demonstrate their skills in front of the enlisted troops until Rukia had informed them that she, too, would participate in the demonstration.

"Kuchiki-taicho!" said Kiyone, bowing deeply to Rukia. Sentarou, not wanting to be outdone, did the same.

"They haven't stopped talking about the demonstration yesterday, Captain," said Sentarou, bowing again. "You were incredible."

Rukia laughed, "You two didn't do too badly yesterday, either." It was true. Both Kiyone and Sentarou's strength had grown considerably in the ten years Rukia had been gone. She was sure that one or both of them would be ready for a vice-captaincy in the next few years.

Kiyone handed Rukia a stack of evaluations from the demonstration matches for her review. "When you have a chance, can you please let me know what groupings you would like for the new training program? Sentarou and I have made a few suggestions you may want to consider, Captain."

"Thank you," said Rukia, impressed at how much the two of them had accomplished in just a day's time, "I'll definitely review your suggestions. Oh, and Kiyone," she said as she turned to leave for her office, "would you mind bringing me some tea when you have a minute? I've got a bit of a headache."

"Of course, Captain!" responded Kiyone crisply, looking at Sentarou with triumph, "I am happy to serve you." Kiyone trotted off quickly in search of tea, followed closely by Sentarou, who looked slightly crestfallen. Rukia smiled and headed to her office to review the papers.

As she reached her office, Rukia felt a sharp pain in her head. "Damn," she said, rubbing a temple with her free hand and closing her eyes for a moment. The headaches were getting worse. As she put the papers on her desk, Rukia made a mental note to herself that she should ask Unohana about the headaches when she had a chance.

It hit her a moment later. Blinding pain this time, and she felt her knees buckle slightly as she tried to grab the corner of the desk for support. She missed, and landed soundly on the floor, hitting her head on the side of the desk as she fell.

_Her prison. The bright light still hurt her eyes. She had fallen asleep after hours spent trying to find a way out, an exit. As always, there had been none, but she had walked and walked, scouring every inch of the room that she could, hoping to find a door or even a window. She couldn't remember how long she had been here. Time did not exist in this place._

"_Kuchiki-Rukia," said a voice from far away. "Come back. You are needed."_

_The light of the room slowly faded. Rukia could see nothing but darkness. Her eyes, so accustomed to the bright light, could barely make out the features of the place where she lay. Slowly, she realized she was in her room in Las Noches. An Espada, dressed in white, stood in the doorway, waiting. How had she gotten here? Had she been dreaming?_

"_Aizen-sama wants to see you," said the Espada, his expression cold._

_Rukia stood up with difficulty, her body stiff and her mind slightly foggy. She followed Ulquiorra down a long corridor to the great room where Aizen held court. She found Aizen, as always, seated on the dais overlooking the huge room. He smiled at her._

"_Rukia-chan," said Aizen in a patronizing voice. "It is time for you to serve your purpose."_

"_Purpose?" she asked, still feeling slightly disconnected, sleepy, "What purpose?"_

"_Something very important, child." And then Aizen was standing next to her on the floor. "Come." Aizen gestured to the Espada, who created an opening using Garganta. Aizen took Rukia's arm and walked through the opening with her._

_They were in the Soul Society. Rukia could tell just by the feel of the place. She felt a sense of elation like she had not felt since she had left. She was home! _

_They had arrived in a densely forested area. Aizen led Rukia forward to an extensive clearing. A large stone structure stood in the middle. It looked very old, and some of the huge stones which formed the base of the structure were crumbling. The edifice had been built in an oval shape, with huge pillars supported by monolithic square blocks of rock. The pillars looked as if they had once supported a roof, but none remained. Rukia did not recognize this place._

_Two shinigami wearing uniforms unlike any Rukia had seen before in the Soul Society stood guarding the structure. Neither guard seemed to have any idea that she and Aizen were there. _

"_They cannot see us," said Aizen, anticipating that Rukia might try to speak to the guards. "They cannot hear us, either." Rukia knew, instinctively, that Aizen spoke the truth. She knew the power of his zanpakuto._

_Aizen led Rukia up the stone steps to the main platform of the structure. They stood in the center of the platform, and Rukia could see the clear sky above her._

"_Now, Rukia-chan. You must release your bankai," said Aizen, still smiling at her._

_Through the fog that still clouded her mind, she asked him, "Why?"_

"_Because, Rukia-chan, you must do this to fulfill your purpose," was the reply._

_She felt numbness spread through her body and she felt suddenly very tired._

"_I must do this for him," she said to herself and, focusing her reiatsu, spoke the word, "Bankai." She felt the familiar sensation of pleasure and power vibrate through her body._

"_Thank you, Rukia-chan," said Aizen. And, as he said these words, he drew his zanpakuto and plunged it into her chest, directly through her heart. The pain was agonizing, and she fell to her knees in front of him._

"_Why?" she asked him through the pain. Everything went dark._

"Rukia!" It was Ichigo's voice. "Rukia, are you okay?" She heard fear in his words.

She opened her eyes and the world slowly came back into focus. She was in her quarters in the Thirteenth Division, lying on her bed. Ichigo was seated on the bed, holding her and looking very worried. Kiyone and Sentarou hovered over Ichigo, concern etched into their faces.

"I…I'm fine," Rukia said, her head clearing. "I…fell."

"I'm taking you to see Unohana," Ichigo said.

"No." The resolve in her voice surprised even her. "I'll be fine, Ichigo." Rukia extricated herself from his arms and stood up.

"Can I get you anything, Kuchiki-taicho?" asked Kiyone, who looked at Ichigo inquiringly, apparently hoping Ichigo would intercede.

"I'm really fine, Kiyone. I think I just need to get something to eat. Why don't you and Sentarou see if you can start putting together some sparring groups based on your recommendations? The paperwork is in my office." Rukia smiled at them reassuringly. They looked at each other and, confident that Rukia was in good hands, left the captain's quarters somewhat reluctantly.

"You're not getting rid of me that easy," said Ichigo, eyeing Rukia with suspicion.

"I didn't intend to," she said, looking directly at him. "I really am fine, though."

"Then why did Kiyone and Sentarou find you passed out cold on the floor of your office?" asked Ichigo, brows slightly furrowed.

Rukia walked over to the bedroom door and closed it. Then, turning back to Ichigo, she said, "It was one of those headaches again. Only, this time, something strange happened."

Ichigo said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"The pain was much worse. I…I guess I passed out. I think I hit my head on the desk," she said, rubbing the back of her scalp where a large bump was growing.

"That's why you need to have Unohana take a look at you, Rukia."

"No," said Rukia, unequivocally. "I don't think there's anything wrong with me, Ichigo. I'm…remembering things. Things that happened when I was in Hueco Mundo."

Rukia hoped this would set Ichigo's mind at ease. It did not.

"So when you remember things that bastard did to you – you pass out? And that's okay?"

"Yes," she said, looking him square in the face, her eyes narrowed and the color rising in her checks and her voice becoming louder with each word, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself without your interference. I am Captain of the Thirteenth Division and I can kick your ass in battle. Kurosaki Ichigo, I do not need a father and I do not need a babysquatter!"

Ichigo laughed.

"What are you laughing about?" she demanded, taken aback by his abrupt change of attitude.

"It's 'babysitter,'" he said, grinning. "Not 'babysquatter.'"

"Damn you, Ichigo. I'm serious about this."

"I know," he said, sighing. "I guess it's kind of an instinct for me. Worrying about you, I mean."

"Hmmmph," she said, glaring at him and crossing her arms.

"You look awfully cute when you're pissed at me," he said, smiling at her. "How about I make it up to you. I'm pretty good at the making up part."

She glared at him again. This time, however, she uncrossed her arms and sat down next to him on the bed. She really had the damnedest time staying mad at him.

*******************************

"You know," said Rukia later, her head on Ichigo's bare chest, "you are damn good at the making up part." He smiled.

"Are you going to tell me what you remembered?" he asked. He had felt the turmoil brewing inside of her as they made love. He knew she wasn't sure if she was going to tell him.

Rukia, for her part, had resolved not to tell Ichigo the entire truth of what she had remembered. She had felt the intense fear that Ichigo hid, deep inside his soul. The fear of losing her.

Reluctantly, Rukia told Ichigo what she had remembered. Of Aizen's summoning her from her prison, and of their entry into the Soul Society which had gone undetected. Rukia described the place where Aizen had taken her, and she told him of the guards that could not hear or see them.

"I don't remember anything else," she lied, and she pulled him closer to her so that she could feel his skin against hers, feel the warmth of him and the beating of his heart.

For all intents and purposes, she had died at Aizen's hands. It did not matter that she had been able to regenerate and survive the thrust of Aizen's zanpakuto. She could not bring herself to reveal this to Ichigo. Not now.

****************************

Dawn came quickly. At the first hint of light from her window, Rukia got out of bed and showered. Ichigo was still asleep as she left her quarters and headed out onto the empty Seireitei streets. The air was cool and crisp, and she breathed deeply, steeling herself for the inevitable confrontation to come. She was headed to the First Division to see Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

She was just about to head up the walkway to the Division One barracks when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around quickly, one hand on her zanpakuto.

"A little jumpy, aren't we?" said Ichigo, grinning. Then he gave Rukia a probing look and said, "I thought we weren't going to keep secrets from each other anymore." Rukia's pulse quickened as she wondered if Ichigo had somehow found out that there had been more to her recollection than she had been willing to reveal.

"You should have waited for me. Did you really think I wouldn't want to ask the old man about the Oken?" Ichigo looked slightly disappointed.

"I'm sorry," said Rukia, realizing that Ichigo was right, "it's hard to break old habits. I guess I'm just used to doing things on my own. We should work together on this. You're right."

Ichigo smiled broadly this time and gestured for Rukia to lead the way to the front door. They walked, side by side into the front office, where a young shinigami showed them into the Captain-Commander's anteroom. They waited in silence for several minutes until the Captain-Commander's assistant came to escort them to see Yamamoto.

Yamamoto was seated at his desk. Even sitting, he was an impressive figure. There had been a time when Rukia had found herself intimidated to the point of speechlessness in his presence. After all she had been through since she first met Ichigo, though, she had come to see Yamamoto as a man: powerful, but with flaws. She found that she had come to respect him even more in this light.

"Kurosaki-taicho. Kuchiki-taicho," said Yamamoto, acknowledging their presence.

Rukia spoke first. "Captain-Commander, sir. We would like to speak with you about the Oken." She had expected some sort of reaction from Yamamoto, but there was none. His face was impassive.

After a minute or two of silence, during which time Rukia and Ichigo both wondered if they would be summarily dismissed from the impromptu meeting, the Captain-Commander spoke. "I have been expecting this visit, of course," he said.

Rukia took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. She had not expected such a direct approach. Deciding that she, too, should be direct, she said, "Sir, we believe Aizen has discovered that the Oken is not a thing, but a person. More specifically, we believe he knows that the Oken is a vizard." Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Sir, I personally believe that Aizen Sousuke tried to use me to open the gate to the King's Realm some years ago, and that Aizen succeeded in infiltrating the Soul Society to do so."

After Rukia had finished speaking, there was silence again, during which time Yamamoto sat and watched them. Several minutes went by, and Ichigo found himself fighting the usual angry frustration. Before he could say anything, however, the Captain-Commander spoke.

"If you believe these things with so much conviction," he said, "you do not need me to confirm them for you."

Ichigo couldn't help himself any longer, "You owe her an explanation, old man!"

"I owe her nothing," Yamamoto said, unimpressed by Ichigo's outburst. "Kuchiki Rukia is a shinigami. She has sworn her allegiance to the Soul Society and she will die to protect it if she must. You know this. You have taken the same oath. You would do well to remember it."

"Her sacrifice would mean nothing if Aizen is permitted to enter the King's Realm," said Ichigo testily.

"That is none of your concern," said Yamamoto, his voice now forceful. "I am well aware of Aizen's aspirations." Ichigo glared at him.

"We should leave, Ichigo," said Rukia, uncomfortably. She bowed to Yamamoto, "Thank you, sir, for your time."

"Old man, if you think that I'm just going to sit back and let Aizen hurt the people I care about, you are sorely mistaken," growled Ichigo.

"I will not hear any more on this subject, Kurosaki-taicho. Neither of you are to interfere in this," said Yamamoto, now rising from his chair. "That is an order."

******************************

As they left the First Division, Ichigo was still fuming. "Nothing changes in this place," he said, fists clenched. "We all blindly follow the powers that be and no one challenges the status quo. What a waste of time that was."

"I don't think it was," said Rukia thoughtfully as they walked. Ichigo looked at her, eyebrows raised. "The Captain-Commander did not deny any of the things that were said. The Oken is a vizard, and Yamamoto knows that Aizen has tried to open the King's passage already. I am sure of it."

"So that's it, then? We just keep our mouths shut and go about our business as if nothing has happened?" Ichigo had stopped walking and was now blocking Rukia's path.

Rukia looked at him quizzically and then she grinned and kicked him, hard. "Of course not, fool." Ichigo looked surprised.

"Did you think I would just sit around and do nothing? You haven't learned anything, have you?" Her arms were crossed and she tapped her foot as she said this. "We must locate the entrance to the King's passage."

"Any suggestions as to how we do that?" said Ichigo, scowling again.

"I have an idea," said Rukia, grinning.


	27. Cat's Cradle

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Cat's Cradle

"Ukitake-taicho…Juushiro-san. How are you?" Rukia embraced her former captain warmly, something she could never have done only a few weeks before.

"Rukia-chan, it's so good to see you," said Ukitake, smiling. He was sitting under a tree in the garden outside his house, having tea. Ukitake looked better than he had when she had last seen him. Handing over the captaincy of the Thirteenth Division had clearly taken a great weight from his shoulders.

"Please sit down and join me," he said, pouring her a cup of tea and motioning for her to be seated beside him at the stone table.

"I'm so glad to see you well," she said as she sat. There was genuine concern in her voice. "I have…missed you."

"I hear good things about the Thirteenth Division. You've done much to earn the respect of the troops in a very short amount of time. I could not be more pleased."

"Thank you, sir," said Rukia, sipping her tea. "That means a great deal to me. You have taught me well."

"A teacher is only as good as his students," said Ukitake. "But, Rukia-chan, you haven't come here just to reminisce, have you?" She reddened slightly.

"There is no dishonor in seeking a friend's advice," he said quickly, seeing her reaction. "It is my pleasure, always, to assist you. Please, tell me how I can be of help."

She knew she could trust him, that he would not reveal her confidences. Still, she hesitated. Again, Ukitake seemed to understand.

"Rukia-chan. I have not always followed the path of least resistance in my life. I have, on many occasions, directly opposed my superiors. There is nothing you can tell me that I will regret hearing."

Rukia smiled. Ukitake had always been able to put her at ease. Relieved, she told him about what she and Ichigo had learned about the King's Key. She also told him about the memory and her concern that Aizen might try once again to gain entry to the King's dimension and Yamamoto's order that she and Ichigo not interfere. She did not, however, mention her relationship with Ichigo.

"Yamamoto-Genryuusai is a good man," said Ukitake, choosing his words carefully. "Sometimes, however, he is not as receptive to the concerns of his officers as he should be."

"Juushiro-san," said Rukia, after a pause, "I want to find the location of the entry to the King's passage. I need to be sure that's what I saw in my memory. I was hoping that you might have some information that could help."

Ukitake smiled. "I do not know the location myself," he said, "but I may know where to find it." Ukitake stood up and motioned for her to join him. He walked into the house to a room off the main entryway. A library.

"When I was a small child," he said, as they entered the room, "I used to spend hours in this room, just reading." Rukia smiled. She had done much the same, as an adult, when she had first been adopted into the Kuchiki family. A library such as this one was beyond the reach of any but the Soul Society's noble class.

Ukitake climbed up a small ladder which leaned against the shelves and took a very old book from the top shelf of one of the many bookcases. He then walked over to the desk which sat in the middle of the room and opened the book gently. Rukia followed.

"This book is said to have been written not long after the King created his Realm and left the Soul Society. It was one of my favorite books. My father used to read me some of the stories in here. 'Myths,' he called them," said Ukitake. It was clearly a happy memory for him.

"This chapter tells the story of the creation of the King's domain," he said, turning to a page about halfway through the book and smiling wistfully at the memory. "There are illustrations of the Realm and of the gateway into it on some of the pages."

He pointed to a small ink drawing at the bottom of one page. It was quite large, filling nearly half of the page. It depicted an ethereal staircase, ascending to an enormous shining palace.

"That is the Realm," said Ukitake. "This," he said, pointing to the staircase, "is the passage between worlds." He turned the page and pointed to another drawing, much smaller than the first. A forest of fir trees set in a deep valley and, in the middle, a clearing where a stone building stood. It looked exactly like the place Rukia had remembered.

"That is the place from my memory," said Rukia, not taking her eyes off the illustration.

"The book does not say where this place can be found," said Ukitake, frowning slightly, "However, there are few forests such as this in the Soul Society." Rukia remembered the forest where she had left Ichigo, ten years before. It had been very different from the forest in the drawing, with many different varieties of trees and mountainous terrain.

"From this drawing, I believe may be able to narrow down the location of the clearing you described to several forests in the Soul Society," said Ukitake.

They sat at the desk, and Ukitake unfolded an old map of the Soul Society, including the wild areas beyond the Rukongai. He pointed out three pine forests which sat in low-lying areas or valleys. Rukia and Ichigo would need to find these locations to determine which, if any, contained the gate.

"I am sorry that I can do no more than narrow it down for you," he said sadly, as he handed her the map.

"Ukitake-taicho. Juushiro. By just narrowing it down, you have helped me more than you know," said Rukia, gratefully. "Thank you so much for your help."

"It was my pleasure, Rukia-chan. I wish you safe journeys. I hope you will come visit me again soon," said Ukitake.

"Thank you again, Juushiro-san," Rukia said, bowing and turning to leave. "Be well."

"Rukia-chan," Ukitake called after her, "I am glad that you and Kurosaki-kun are finally together. It is as it should be. I am happy for you both."

Rukia smiled at him and stepped out into the sunshine.

***********************************

Rukia and Ichigo decided to leave early the next day to find the King's Gate. It would be a Saturday, and, although the Soul Society did not follow the traditional schedule of the Real World, Gotei 13 captains often took time off from their duties over the weekend. They would be much less likely missed.

They had spent the night before at the Thirteenth. Rukia, feeling slightly guilty asking Kiyone or Sentarou to bring them food again, decided to try cooking their dinner instead. The meal was a resounding failure, and they ended up at their favorite Seireitei sushi restaurant, downing several bottles of sake and talking until nearly midnight when the owner finally kicked them out.

For once, they did nothing but sleep in bed. Ichigo was still tired; dark circles under his eyes were becoming the norm for him. He had not had any more disturbing dreams since their shared dream of the red lady, but his sleep was restless, and he often awoke more tired in the morning than the night before.

Rukia, for her part, continued to have dull headaches, although she had not remembered any more of her captivity in Hueco Mundo. The pain was still with her when they left before sunrise, having told their subordinates that they planned on spending the day together in the Rukongai. It was still dark as they stole through one of the gates and through the Rukongai to the sparsely inhabited foothills of the mountainous region. They stopped and ate breakfast when they reached the foothills.

"So, what do you plan on doing once we find this place?" asked Ichigo, yawning and rubbing his eyes. The meager breakfast had done little to improve his mood.

"I don't know," replied Rukia. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about it. "It's just as feeling I have. I need to find the place."

"Nice plan."

"As if you ever had a plan before rushing in," she said, slightly irritated.

"I've changed," he said, smirking this time. It was Rukia's turn to scowl at him.

After breakfast, they reached their first destination. Rukia and Ichigo doubted such a heavily guarded secret would be located so close to an area bordering on the inhabited part of the Soul Society, but it was the nearest and smallest of the three areas they thought might hide the gate.

The going was slow, since they could not do their reconnaissance from the sky for fear of being spotted. They decided to split up to speed up the task, regrouping at midday. Several hours later, they sat down by a small stream and discussed their lack of success. The sun was shining, but neither of them felt much better than they had in the morning. Ichigo lay down on the grass and closed his eyes.

Rukia rubbed her temples, her head aching even more than before. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her memories of Aizen's failed attempt to open the King's gate. After about fifteen minutes, the pain had increased to the point where she was starting to feel sick to her stomach. She groaned, involuntarily.

_She was being carried, semi-conscious. She tried to open her eyes, but was too weak. "She is not the one," said Aizen to Gin Ichimaru, as he arrived back in Hueco Mundo. _

"_So why are you smiling?" asked Gin, clearly amused._

"_I believe I now know who the Oken is," responded Aizen. "Oh, and an interesting development," he continued, dropping Rukia soundly on the cold stone floor, "this one can regenerate."_

"_Why bother to keep her?"_

"_She may be useful, after all. He will come for her," said Aizen placidly. "We'll make it just difficult enough that he does not suspect he has been invited."_

_Rukia forced her eyes to open long enough to see Aizen fingering a glittering stone in his hand, smiling._

"Rukia, are you okay?" Rukia sat up quickly. Directly over her face, Ichigo's cupped hands held some water from the stream.

"You intended to use that on me?!" she kicked him sharply and he fell over, the water spraying in all directions. "Idiot. Do you ever stop worrying, Ichigo? I'm fine."

Ichigo mumbled something incomprehensible about women, and mopped himself off. A few minutes later, Rukia stood up and walked over to the stream.

"What's up?" said Ichigo, gingerly, afraid of her response.

"Hmmm? Oh," she said, thinking about the recovered memory, "I was just wondering why Aizen would lure you back to Hueco Mundo to rescue me, and then just let us leave. If you really are the Oken, why didn't he just use his zanpakuto to manipulate you?"

"He did," said Ichigo, still irritated with himself that he had been taken in by Aizen's hypnotic technique. "I thought I was leaving with you, and then I found myself in front of him. It wasn't until later that I realized he couldn't use kanzen saimin while I was in my hollowized form. Stupid mistake. I won't make it again."

This made even less sense to Rukia. If Ichigo had, in fact, been under the influence of Aizen's zanpakuto, why had Aizen released Ichigo at all? She must be missing something, she thought, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

***************************************

Ichigo and Rukia found no gate in the second location either. It was the farthest location from the Seireitei, but they had chosen to explore it next because it was smaller than the last of the three locations and they both believed they could finish their reconnaissance before nightfall.

Again, they found nothing. At one point, Ichigo found a very old, abandoned stone house which he showed Rukia, only to have her to tell him that this was not the building she had seen in her memory. Disappointed, they made camp near the third possible location. They anticipated that it would take them the better part of a day to search the entire area, and decided it would be best to rest and begin their work at daybreak.

"You're starting to look a little like a raccoon, Ichigo," said Rukia as they ate their meal, which consisted mostly of rice cakes and dried fish. The dark circles under Ichigo's eyes had grown markedly in the past few days, and she was starting to become concerned.

"Eh, it's nothing," said Ichigo. "Who's worrying now?" Point taken, Rukia said no more on this topic.

They spent the night on the forest floor, using leaves as a blanket. Ichigo managed to light a small fire and they slept close together for warmth. The stars were visible through the branches of the trees. Despite the cold air, the feel of his body pressed against hers made Rukia feel peaceful and warm.

Sleep did not come for Rukia, and an hour or so later, she looked at Ichigo and saw that he, too, was still awake.

"Ichigo," said Rukia, her face pressed close to his, "how did you know I hadn't defected to Aizen after I left?"

"I just knew," he said, without hesitation. "When I saw you again in Las Noches, still wearing your black hakama, I knew I'd been right all along."

"Thank you, Ichigo," she said sleepily, closing her eyes. Ichigo watched her sleep for a long time, until finally sleep claimed him, as well.

They both dreamed.

"_It is almost time, Ichigo," said the woman in red, running her hands against his chest like a lover. "You will come to me. You will bring me the key. We will be together. Forever."_

_Rukia called out to Ichigo, but he couldn't hear her._

***********************************

Mid-morning the next day, Ichigo found the place, nestled in a valley between two towering mountains. Using shunpo, he quickly located Rukia to give her the news.

"I'm sure this is it," he told her, and her heart quickened with both fear and excitement.

A short while later, they were standing on the edge of a large open area, a crumbling building visible in the distance. Rukia and Ichigo walked out into the clearing. There were no guards in sight.

The stone structure stood before them, just as Rukia had remembered it. They exchanged a quick look, and then headed up the stone steps to the oval platform. Ichigo felt suddenly dizzy as they reached the top of the platform. He leaned an arm against one of the giant pillars to steady himself.

Rukia, distracted, did not notice. Her chest hurt slightly with the memory of Aizen's zanpakuto, and her head ached. She felt sick again, and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to keep herself from vomiting.

_She was standing in the large room in Las Noches, Aizen high above her. He was talking to Gin, passing from palm to palm something that sparkled with the light from the high windows. The Hogyoku._

"_Hello, Rukia," said Aizen, menacing smile on his lips. "So good of you to join us." _

_She tried to speak, but her tongue felt heavy in her mouth._

"_I need your help again, little one. I need you to bring forward your hollow."_

"_Hollow?" she thought vaguely. She didn't know what he meant. And then she remembered, dully, the feeling of cold pleasure, of release._

_Aizen held the Hogyoku out on his palm and touched it with the tip of his zanpakuto. Rukia felt the icy crystals covering her face, and felt the warmth of the hollow's strength in her veins. She sighed, involuntarily._

_The Hogyoku glowed from within, and Rukia suddenly felt tired again. Weak. Her legs buckled under her, and she fell to the floor, breathing heavily. Her mask shattered as her body hit the cold stones._

Rukia opened her eyes and remembered where she was standing.

"Ichigo!" said Rukia. "We have to get out of here, now!"

Ichigo, still dizzy, pushed himself away from the pillar, willing himself to stand upright. He heard the fear in her voice.

It was already too late. They were surrounded by half a dozen Arrancar, zanpakutos drawn. In front of the Arrancar stood Tousen, Gin and Aizen.

"Thank you for coming, Kurosaki-Ichigo," said Aizen, "I've been waiting for you."


	28. Dawning Battles

Chapter 28: Dawning Battles

"_Rukia, get out of here!" thought Ichigo, as he drew Zangetsu. "He doesn't want you."_

Ichigo prayed Rukia would read his thoughts without Bankai. She could, apparently, because she ignored Ichigo and drew her weapon, glaring at him. She had no intention of leaving.

"_Dammit, Rukia. Go!"_

"_You stupid fool," she thought, "you can't always do everything on your own. We will do this together!"_

"Kill her," said Aizen to the Arrancar. "Bring him to me alive."

"Not a chance in hell, Aizen!" shouted Ichigo, and he pointed his zanpakuto directly in front of him and shouted, "Bankai!" Rukia followed suit.

Ichigo looked imploringly at Rukia, but she stood her ground.

"_The two on your left are Espada," thought Rukia. "The woman on my far right is, as well. The rest are weaker, Fraccion. They probably won't attack until told to. Aizen and those two," Rukia looked at Gin and Tousen, "won't engage unless the Arrancar fail."_

Ichigo looked at Rukia and nodded.

"_Don't expect them to fight individually this time," she thought, "Aizen cares nothing for the ways of shinigami."_

"_You take the woman and keep the Fraccion busy," thought Ichigo, "I'll take the two big boys over here."_

The larger of the two Espada stepped forward, as the smaller Espada used Sonido to get behind where Ichigo stood. Using shunpo, and with the increased speed of his bankai, Ichigo easily extracted himself from between the two. The larger Espada, bald with his mask on his cheek and chin, shot black flames from his zanpakuto as Ichigo moved.

Ichigo maneuvered to a position about twenty feet from the espada and shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!" A flash of blue erupted from the end of Zangetsu and split into two fingers. The attacks hit their marks, but neither Espada seemed particularly concerned.

"I thought this guy was supposed to be really strong, Cieques," said the smaller Espada to the other. "At this rate, we're not going to have any fun at all."

Ichigo laughed and, in a flash, brought down his blade on the shoulder of the smaller Espada. Zangetsu easily cut through the tough skin of the Arrancar, leaving a gaping wound.

Cieques, enraged that Ichigo had injured his comrade, swung his zanpakuto in Ichigo's direction and shouted, "Cero Grande!" A large red ball of energy flew at Ichigo, who dodged it easily. It landed behind him, creating a crater the size of a small house at the edge of the clearing.

Rukia, for her part, had already managed to wound the female Espada using her ice cloud technique. The Espada's skin, however, was much harder than the Arrancar she had fought in the Real World, and the attack succeeded only in slowing the Arrancar down slightly.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro," said Rukia, and a sheet of ice spread over the ground around her and out towards where Gin, Tousen and Aizen stood watching. The Espada and two of the Arrancar jumped out of the way of the advancing ice, but the third was too slow. Rukia willed a wall of ice around the Arrancar and the wall shattered, along with the Arrancar.

"_Nice job," thought Ichigo as the ice exploded about them. "One down, five to go."_

Rukia smiled.

"You bitch," snarled the Espada, and she sent a huge Cero in Rukia's direction, "how dare you kill one of La Fuega's Fraccion!"

Catching the Cero between her zanpakuto and her dagger, Rukia focused her reiatsu on the Cero. It tripled in size and began to shimmer as ice crystals danced over its surface. She aimed the shimmering ball of energy back where it had come, and it flew like lightening, hitting the Espada on her left arm.

"You will die, shinigami bitch!" shouted La Fuega, "I will make you beg to die!" She raised her zanpakuto and said, "Estrella Infierno." The air surrounding La Fuega glowed brightly and leaves blew around her as she released her resurrection form.

La Fuega now stood about six feet tall, her legs and arms abnormally long and thin. What looked like red flames crowned her head, which was now covered nearly completely by a hollow mask. In place of a zanpakuto, she now held a long scythe. At the end of the curved blade were several points, and sparks of red shot out from the points as her transformation became complete.

"_I know what you're thinking, Ichigo. You need to focus on your own opponents. I can handle this one!"_

As if on cue, one of Ichigo's opponents noticed Ichigo's momentary lapse of attention and took the opportunity to attack. Ichigo could not completely dodge the attack, and the edge hit him, hard, on his right shoulder.

"Damn," said Ichigo, nearly dropping his weapon. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been. He knew better. He wouldn't allow himself to be distracted again.

Flying quickly over and landing behind his two opponents, Ichigo shot another Getsuga Tensho at the smaller of the two Arrancar. This time the attack met its mark, and the Arrancar flew backwards several feet into one of the huge stone pillars, momentarily stunned. Ichigo took the opportunity to attack at close range, piercing the Arrancar's Hierro skin. As he withdrew his weapon, the Arrancar fell and moved no more.

"_Two down, three to go," thought Ichigo._

"_At this rate, idiot, you're going to be one of them! You nearly got yourself killed, Ichigo! What the hell are you doing?!"_

"_Yeah. Point taken," he thought. He could feel her frustration._

La Fuega had moved to within a few feet of Rukia now, and she swung her scythe so quickly that Rukia could almost feel the blade touch her cheek. The Espada was much faster in her resurrection form.

Rukia knew then that she would not win this battle with just her bankai. She closed her eyes and opened her soul to the hollow. She felt the mixture of coldness and warmth penetrate her body. But there was something else this time. For the first time since she had left Hueco Mundo, she felt a consciousness other than her own in her mind. The hollow.

"_I am stronger now," she thought. "I will not let myself be controlled by it." _

_She had not meant to share this thought with Ichigo, but she was sure he had heard it because she felt open up a different part of his soul to her. The darker, colder part. His hollow. She had never sensed it this clearly before. _

"_I understand," she thought. "I never realized." The internal battle for control would always be waged, regardless of Aizen or of the Hogyoku._

"You will serve me this time," she said to herself, steeling herself for battle. "You will serve me."

Rukia closed her eyes and felt heat run through her arms and out towards the points of her weapons. She imagined the power coalescing at their tips, increasing in intensity until it peaked, and she willed the icy Cero at her target. The blast hit La Fuega square in the chest, and she screamed with rage. She flung her scythe in an enormous arc, and from its tip flew black and red flames. The stream of flames, still connected to the scythe, got larger as they shot towards Rukia.

Rukia willed a wall of ice around her body, stopping the flames as they hit. The ice traveled back the length of the stream of flames, but it did not stop at the blade of the Arrancar's weapon. It continued to climb up the hilt of the scythe and covered La Fuega's arm.

Still focusing all her energy on La Fuega, Rukia forced the ice crystals to grow over the Espada's upper body, covering her head, shoulders and chest. La Fuega was now completely immobilized except for her legs, and she struggled to break free of Rukia's hold.

"Now!" yelled Rukia, concentrating on the crystals. As she spoke, each individual crystal exploded with blue fire, consuming the La Fuega completely, leaving only shards of ice glittering in the bright sunlight where La Fuega had once stood.

"No!" yelled one of La Fuega's Fraccion, and she lunged at Rukia with her zanpakuto. The last remaining Fraccion joined her companion, shooting blasts of Cero and energy intermittently in Rukia's direction. Rukia spun on her heels, creating a glittering shield of ice which reflected the attacks and sent the attacks back in the direction where they had come. The two remaining members of La Fuega's Fraccion fell onto the ground and were silent.

At the same time, Ichigo and Cieques, the remaining Espada, were circling each other in a vicious sort of dance. Ichigo would attack using a combination of Getsuga Tensho and direct hits from his blade when he could get close enough.

Cieques, realizing that Ichigo easily matched his power, had also transformed. His resurrection form resembled a large bear. His fingers were huge claws that also served as multiple zanpakutos, each capable of cutting as well as launching attacks. Although Cieques was not fast enough to cut Ichigo using his blades, Ichigo's face bore witness to at least one Cero attack, and there was a deep gash on Ichigo's left arm, which was bleeding.

Ichigo had hoped to wait to release his hollow. He knew three far more powerful opponents awaited him at the conclusion of this fight, and he also knew that, eventually, Aizen would attempt to use his hypnosis technique on him. Still, the longer he continued to fight, the less reiatsu he would have to fight Aizen and the others. He had no choice. He needed to finish this quickly. Putting his hand to his face, he released his hollow from its prison, and felt the cold mask cover his skin.

Cieques, seeing the mask, laughed heartily, "Now I see why Aizen-sama said you were a tough opponent, shinigami. Still, I will crush you and I will crush your mask."

"Not happening," said Ichigo, now fully focused on the task at hand. "I'm ending this now."

Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu on its chain, sending a shower of black energy from all directions at the Arrancar. Now on the defensive, Cieques created a field of energy from the tips of the blades that now were his fingers. The energy spread over his body, protecting him from the flames of black that spun around him. Cieques smiled at Ichigo as Ichigo continued to swing his sword.

"That feels good, shinigami," Cieques laughed as he continued to fend off Ichigo's attack.

As the Arrancar spoke, Ichigo moved so quickly that a shadow of him appeared to remain for a moment where he had stood, sword still spinning over his head. In the blink of an eye, Ichigo was beside Cieques and had thrust Zangetsu deep into Cieques' chest. With a howl of pain, Cieques fell onto the grass and was still.

For a moment, there was silence, as Rukia and Ichigo stood, trying to catch their breath and surveying the Arrancar who lay, defeated, on the soft grass.

"Bravo," said Aizen, smiling and touching the hilt of his zanpakuto. "What an impressive show. You have both become so much stronger. It's a pity I really can't wait any longer." Aizen lazily fingered something in his palm.

"_Rukia, he has the Hogyoku!" thought Ichigo, urgently._

It was too late. Rukia suddenly felt as though the world around her had become cloudy, veiled. As her body fell to the ground, she felt herself fade from the scene, only to reappear in the place which had been her prison in Hueco Mundo.

_The space around her was bright white. She could hear voices, but she could see nothing. _

"My own personal take on Caja Negación," said Aizen, smiling at Ichigo, "with a little help from her hollow. With the Hogyoku, the technique worked quite well to contain her for ten years in Las Noches."

"_No!" thought Rukia, desperately, "I need to be out there, fighting!"_

"_I don't think so, child," said a familiar voice. "It is time for you to watch him die." The woman's long black hair blew softly around her as she spoke._

"Let her go, Aizen," said Ichigo, his voice controlled, "It's me you want."

"I don't think so, Kurosaki-kun," said Aizen in his infuriatingly calm voice. "As long as I have her under my control, I also control you." Aizen looked at Gin and Tousen, nodding very slightly.

"Time to see how good you've really gotten, Kurosaki Ichigo," said Gin, a broad grin spreading on his face as he drew his zanpakuto. To his left, Tousen did the same, his face expressionless as always.

Aizen watched as the three men fought, a look of mild amusement on his face. With both men using only shikai, Ichigo was able to dodge their attacks with relative ease.

Landing an attack, however, was nearly impossible. Gin, able to control the length of his blade, kept Ichigo moving to avoid being cut. The few times Ichigo was able to launch an attack using Getsuga Tensho, both men, working in concert, were able to either deflect or avoid the attack completely.

"_This is getting me nowhere," thought Ichigo, "I need to find another way."_

Ichigo grabbed the chain of Tensa Zangetsu and swung his blade over his head. This time, instead of a shower of black energy from its tip, Ichigo sent larger rhythmic pulses of strikes into the air. Each burst of energy split into four or five rays which hit the ground like so many arrows. One of the bursts hit Gin hard on his left forearm.

"Nice display, Kurosaki-taicho," said Gin, smirking and shaking out his arm. "Not good enough, though. Child's play." As Gin spoke, Tousen sent an attack arcing through the air, and Ichigo was unable to dodge it in time. The attack landed on Ichigo's already injured right shoulder.

Ichigo was getting slower; he could feel it. He felt tired again, and the dizziness had returned. At the far edge of his field of vision, Ichigo could see Aizen, still standing and watching the fight from a short distance away, still fingering the Hogyoku.

As they continued to fight, Ichigo felt a nagging doubt in the back of his mind. He could not understand why neither former captain was using bankai. If Aizen's goal was to capture Ichigo, it made little sense to Ichigo that Tousen and Gin would hold back against him. What were they waiting for?

"_Aizen's waiting for something," thought Ichigo, as he dodged yet another of Tousen's attacks. _

Ichigo glanced over at Rukia, still lying on the ground, unconscious. Why had Aizen waited to use the Hogyoku until after he and Rukia had finished off the Arrancar? It made no sense.

Suddenly, it became clear to Ichigo. He understood. Ichigo placed the tip of his zanpakuto on the ground, and turned to face Aizen, ignoring Tousen and Gin. He knew now that they would not attack him from behind.

"You don't want them to defeat me, do you Aizen?" said Ichigo, his face impassive.

Aizen looked at him, eyebrows raised inquisitively.

"You never intended that they defeat me, did you?" repeated Ichigo. "You just wanted to wear me down. You wanted me weak. You need me to be weak to open the gate, don't you?"

Aizen smiled.


	29. Passages

Chapter 29: Passages

Aizen fingered the Hogyoku lovingly in his hand. "Feeling a bit tired, Kurosaki-kun?" asked Aizen, watching Ichigo, who was still breathing hard. "You see, I did a few experiments with the Hogyoku. I discovered that it can create Vizard, of course. I also discovered that the Hogyoku can be used to manipulate Vizard, to wear them down. Weaken them."

"For her," he continued, glancing at Rukia, who still lay silently where she had fallen, "it's been a wonderful tool to keep her contained. But she hasn't yet gained control over her hollow. Your mastery of your hollow presented me with more of a challenge."

Aizen now rubbed the Hogyoku, and Ichigo felt a wave of dizziness so intense that he had to lean on Zangetsu to remain standing.

"_Focus, Kurosaki," Ichigo told himself, "you're stronger than this."_

"You know, Aizen, I'm getting really sick of listening to your bullshit," growled Ichigo. "Your zanpakuto won't work on me."

"Ichigo-kun," said Aizen, ignoring Ichigo's outburst, "it is time to open the gate."

"If you open the gate without permission, you will destroy the Soul Society along with every soul that lives in it," said Ichigo.

Aizen smiled at Ichigo. "Before the King created his realm, before the Seireitei was established, there was no distinction between Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. If I open the gate, the walls that surround and divide the two will be destroyed, and Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society will be reunited. That reunited world will need a king."

"You bastard," said Ichigo in a low voice. He was struggling to maintain his hollow form, and bits of his mask were crumbling as he spoke. He felt so tired. He knew now this was because of the Hogyoku, but he did not know how to combat its effects.

Aizen glanced over his shoulder at Gin. In a flash, Gin was holding Rukia's limp body, his zanpakuto pressed to her heart.

"Let her go," snarled Ichigo.

"I don't think so, Kurosaki Ichigo," said Gin, smirking.

Ichigo moved quickly using shunpo and, with the speed of his bankai, was able to extract Rukia from Gin's grasp. That move, however, used up most of Ichigo's remaining reiatsu. What was left of Ichigo's hollow mask crumbled and then completely disappeared. Aizen's right hand touched the hilt of his zanpakuto.

Ichigo realized immediately that he let himself fall into Aizen's trap. He had allowed himself to be distracted by his concern for Rukia's safety, just as Aizen knew he would. He was completely immobilized. Then, the world around him went white, and he fell to his knees, Rukia's body falling out of his arms and softly to the ground beside him.

Smiling broadly, Aizen drew his zanpakuto and, his eyes full of triumph, plunged it directly into Ichigo's heart. The ground shook slightly, and the air crackled with electricity.

The gate had begun to open.

**Author's Note: Please stay tuned for the final chapter and epilogue of my first fan fic! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. Thanks to all you readers for your support and encouragement. Special thanks to the Old Narcissistic Hags (you rule, ladies!) and my own personal beta reader, Bob Malkin. I couldn't have done it without you! -Lex**


	30. The Pain Will Set You Free & Epilogue

Chapter 30: The Pain Will Set You Free

"Damn," said Ichigo to himself, as Aizen withdrew his blade from Ichigo's chest, "that hurts." The pain had brought him back to his senses. He looked down to see his once white haori now red with his own blood. He was dying. He knew it instinctively. There would be no Old Man Zangetsu or Orihime to save him this time.

"_Ichigo! No!" yelled Rukia, still trapped in the prison of light. Rukia had felt Aizen stab Ichigo. The pain tore her to shreds. Not physical pain, but the pain of knowing she had lost him, that he was dying. And with that intense pain, the light surrounding her began to fade, and she found herself lying on the ground, next to Ichigo. _

Aizen stood a few feet away, but he had not noticed Rukia awaken. Instead, Aizen was watching an enormous column of energy rising from the center of the stone floor. Rukia moved slowly towards Ichigo, taking his hands in hers and cradling his head in her lap.

"You idiot," she said, tears now streaming down her cheeks, "you were worrying about me again, weren't you?"

He smiled weakly. "I did it on purpose," he said, "it was your turn to rescue me, Rukia." He closed his eyes, and she felt his reiatsu fade away. The sound of her name on his lips seemed to hang in the air all around her.

Rukia stood there, numb, still holding Ichigo's hands in hers. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. It was supposed to have been her. She knew she must try to stop Aizen, but she could not think clearly. Her pain at losing Ichigo was too intense, too all-consuming.

"_What do I do?!" she thought desperately. _

"_Rukia." _

That voice. Ichigo's voice. She looked down at his body, but it was still and lifeless.

_Rukia!"_

His voice again, only this time she knew she had heard it in her own mind. She could feel his reiatsu there, as well.

"_Ichigo?"_

"_Rukia, you must know this. I am not the Oken," he said. "__We__ are the Oken."_

"_I don't understand," she said, still trying to grasp how she could hear his thoughts if he was dead._

"_The King designed the key in two parts. A yin and a yang. The Oken was incomplete until Aizen created the other half," said Ichigo._

_Rukia struggled to comprehend the words._

"_The King always controls the key, Rukia," Ichigo continued, trying to make her understand. "To open the passageway to the King's Realm only requires two prongs. The remaining two prongs are the King's permission. Without the King's permission, without the remaining two prongs, the gateway cannot be closed. And if the gateway remains open for more than a short period of time, it means the destruction of the Soul Society._

"_Do you understand? There are two sides to the King's Key. I can open the passageway. You, Rukia, can close it. We, __together__, are the four prongs."_

Rukia blinked hard, still trying to decide whether she had imagined his voice. He was gone. Dead. She willed herself to focus on his body. She looked at his now pale face, peaceful and still. She looked at her hands, which still clasped his.

"_The four prongs," she thought, suddenly. "Our hands."_

"_Yes, Rukia. We are the four prongs. You can stop this," he said to her._

"_But I don't understand. Where are you, Ichigo? You aren't dead?" she asked, still staring at his hands. They were growing colder._

"_I am on the other side. In the King's Realm," came his reply. "Rukia, you can stop this. You can seal the passageway. You __must__ seal the passageway."_

"_But, if I seal the passageway, you can come back, right?" There was no response._

"_Ichigo, answer me! What happens if I seal the passageway?"_

"_If you don't seal it, everyone I care about will die, including you. There would be nothing for me to come back to. You must do this, Rukia."_

_She knew he was right, but the pain in her soul now burned like fire. She had to find the strength to end this. _

Rukia released Ichigo's cold hands and slowly put one hand to her face to embrace the hollow within. She would not let Aizen imprison her again. In her mind's eye, Rukia could see the woman in red, laughing.

"_I am master here," Rukia said to the woman with the dark hair, "you serve me alone now!"_

She gently laid Ichigo's body down on the stone floor and kissed his cold lips. She knew what she had to do.

Aizen was standing inside the wall of energy that was growing larger by the second. The entire stone platform on which they stood was already engulfed by the opening passageway. Rukia stood up and walked towards Aizen, zanpakuto drawn.

"Rukia-chan," said Aizen as he saw her, "you truly have become quite powerful. It seems I can no longer contain you with Negación. Unfortunately, you also have become quite a nuisance. It is time for me to kill you."

Rukia looked at Aizen as he drew his weapon and pointed it at her. She said nothing, but smiled. Then, still smiling, she turned her soul's sword and plunged it through her own heart.

The column of energy, which had now enveloped most of the clearing in which the old stone building stood, began to sparkle and dissipate. Rukia heard Aizen's scream of rage as he, Gin and Tousen were caught up in the disintegrating vortex of energy. She watched as they slowly dissolved into nothingness, along with the energy field.

Rukia pulled Sode no Shirayuki out of her chest and waited for her death, expecting to suffer the same fate as Tousen, Gin and Aizen, but it did not come. She could feel the energy field licking at her skin, but felt no pain from it, and her body remained solid. On her knees now and bleeding heavily, she walked over to where Ichigo's body lay and took his hands in hers. His body, like hers, was untouched by the passageway.

"You will always be in my soul," she said to him, as she lost consciousness.

_Rukia opened her eyes. White light surrounded her. Not the same light as in her prison. This light was warm and did not hurt her eyes. _

_She looked around, expecting to see endless walls surrounding her, locking her in. Instead, she saw simple stone columns with large empty spaces in between._

"_Rukia." She turned around and her heart soared._

"_Ichigo," she said, and she ran to him, pulling him close to her. His black shinigami uniform was now pure white, and she noticed that she, too, was dressed completely in white. "I thought I had lost you forever."_

"_Stupid," he said, laughing softly, "it's not that easy to get rid of me."_

_She looked at him sadly. "Why did you have to go on and get yourself killed on me? I really should kick you, Ichigo."_

_He held her close and smiled. "I'm not dead. At least no more than you are. Just like your gigai, my body in the Soul Society is just a vessel, Rukia." He kissed her softly on the top of her head. Then he kissed her on her lips, and she felt warmth spread through her body. She felt as though she was floating, her body tingling and disappearing, as though she had become pure energy, without form._

"_Please," she begged silently, "I don't want to leave this place. Please let me stay here with him." The room was fading._

Rukia coughed. She felt a dull ache in her chest where she had stabbed herself. Her wounds were healing.

"_I don't want to go back without you, Ichigo" she thought, willing him to hear her. There was no answer._

Rukia was holding Ichigo's body. All around her were tiny ice crystals that reflected bluish white in the bright sunshine. They covered his body, as well. There was a warm tingling sensation on her skin. She still wore her hollow mask.

And then she felt it. Felt him. His reiatsu. Only this time, she didn't feel it within her, it was coming from his body. His body was no longer cold, and the color was returning to his cheeks. The gaping wound in his chest was, like hers, beginning to heal.

"Ichigo?" Rukia said. Her throat was dry, and his name came out as more of a whisper.

"Hmmm?" he said, opening his eyes and grinning back at her.

"Welcome back."

********************************************

Epilogue

Rukia yawned and rolled over to avoid the first light of morning streaming in from the windows of Ichigo's bedroom. She felt his body, warm against hers, and hugged him tightly. He grabbed her around the waist and proceeded to kiss her neck and ears.

"That tickles," she said, laughing.

"Wait till I kiss you here," said Ichigo, burying his head under the covers.

There was a loud knock from the front door, and both of them jumped slightly.

"Damn," said Ichigo, emerging from under the blankets. "Who the hell is knocking this early in the morning?!"

Ichigo hopped out of bed and threw on a kimono. Rukia followed suit and gathered her tousled hair into a knot at the base of her neck. Ichigo was opening the front door as Rukia walked out of the bedroom into the living area.

"You?" A very surprised Ichigo stood, looking at the visitor standing in the doorway.

"Is that any way for a student to greet his sensei, Kurosaki-kun?" said Urahara, lifting the brim of his hat slightly as he nodded to Rukia.

"Sensei my ass," said Ichigo, scowling.

"Ichigo!" said Rukia, her tone admonishing.

"He's been gone from the Soul Society for centuries, and he picks this time to come knocking on my door?" growled Ichigo.

"Nii-san told me it was Urahara-san who convinced Yamamoto to release us from the brig and let us return to our commands after disobeying orders," said Rukia. "We owe him our thanks."

"Hmmm," said Ichigo, eyeing Urahara warily. "What do you want?"

"Kurosaki-kun. I was hoping you would invite an old man in for tea. I have come a long way," said Urahara, coyly.

"I'll make us some tea," said Rukia, intervening. "Better than listening to two grown men acting like children." She smiled to herself as she left the room. Life was, blissfully, back to normal. Or, as normal as it ever had been.

Several minutes later, the three of them were seated at the table, drinking tea.

"So, Urahara-san," said Rukia, after a few minutes of stony silence in which Ichigo continued to scowl at Urahara, "what brings you to the Soul Society?"

"Well, Rukia-chan," said Urahara, smiling and looking at her warily from under his hat, "I may have made a little mistake. You see, it seems as though the Hogyoku was not destroyed when the passage to the King's Realm collapsed…"

Rukia looked at Ichigo and smiled.

"_Here we go again," she thought._

For just a brief moment, she saw Ichigo smile back at her.

FIN


End file.
